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Science 12 March 1965:
Vol. 147. no. 3663, pp. 1262 - 1265
DOI: 10.1126/science.147.3663.1262
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Articles

Meteorites and the Moon

Cosmic-ray ages and contaminants provide evidence that meteorites may come from the moon

Harold C. Urey 1

1 University of California (San Diego) at Revelle College, La Jolla, California

Considerable evidence of diverse kinds has accumulated during the last 6 years indicating that some or possibly most of the stone meteorites come from the moon. Included in these may well be the carbonaceous chondrites of the Orgueil type and this indicates that contamination of the moon with terrestrial water has occurred. This statement does not depend on the carbonaceous matter being of biotic origin. Models for the origin of the moon are consistent with the hypothesis that some contamination of this kind occurred. This conclusion is possible regardless of whether the meteorites come from the moon or not.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Thermal and Magmatic Evolution of the Moon.
C. K. Shearer, P. C. Hess, M. A. Wieczorek, M. E. Pritchard, E. M. Parmentier, L. E. Borg, J. Longhi, L. T. Elkins-Tanton, C. R. Neal, I. Antonenko, et al. (2006)
Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry 60, 365-518
   Full Text »    PDF »
Earth-Moon System, Planetary Science, and Lessons Learned.
S. R. Taylor, C. M. Pieters, and G. J. MacPherson (2006)
Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry 60, 657-704
   Full Text »    PDF »
Biological Material in Meteorites: A Review.
H. C. Urey and H. C. Urey (1966)
Science 151, 157-166
   PDF »
Strontium-Rubidium Age of an Iron Meteorite.
G. J. Wasserburg, G. J. Wasserburg, D. S. Burnett, and C. Frondel (1965)
Science 150, 1814-1818
   Abstract »    PDF »


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