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Science 26 July 1974:
Vol. 185. no. 4148, pp. 346 - 349
DOI: 10.1126/science.185.4148.346
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Articles

Water and Carbon in Rusty Lunar Rock 66095

Irving Friedman 1, Kenneth G. Hardcastle 1, and Jim D. Gleason 1

1 U. S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colorado 80225

Lunar rock 66095 contains a hydrated iron oxide and has an unusual amount of water for a lunar rock (140 to 750 parts per million), 90 percent of which is released below 690°C. The dgrof water released at these low temperatures varies from -75 to -140 per mil relative to standard mean ocean water (SMOW). The small amount of water released between 690° and 1300°C has a dgr of about -175 ±25 per mil SMOW. These dgr values are not unusual for terrestrial water. The dgr18O of water extracted from 110° to 400°C has a value of +5± I per mil SMOW, similar to the value for lunar silicates from rock 66095 and different from the value of -4 to -22 per mil found for samples of terrestrial rust including samples of rusted meteoritic iron. The amount of carbon varies from 11 to 59 parts per million with a dgr13C from -20 to -30 per mil relative to Pee Dee belemnite. Only very small amounts of reduced species (such as hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and methane) were found, in contrast to the analyses of other lunar rocks. Although it is possible that most of the water in the iron oxide (goethite) may be terrestrial in origin or may have exchanged with terrestrial water during sample return and handling, evidence presented herein suggests that this did not happen and that some lunar water may have a dgrD that is indistinguishable from that of terrestrial water.

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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)