Abstract
The average directions of natural remanent magnetization (NRM) of three texturally distinct layers (72215, 72255, and 72275) of a 2 m-sized breccia boulder were found to be the same, while the directions of their stable components of NRM were found to be widely divergent. One clast from 72275 yielded a stable NRM direction which was different from that of the matrix. Approximate paleointensity measurements showed that 72255 and 72275 could have obtained their stable remanence from an ancient magnetic field of the same magnitude. However, 72215 probably was magnetized by a magnetic field of a different intensity. We concluded that the coincident NRM directions owe their origin to a secondary imprint of less stable magnetization imparted during the assembly of the boulder at moderate temperatures (∼ 450°C) on the South Massif. The stable directions, on the other hand, date from the last, higher-temperature (∼ 770°C) magnetizing event experienced by the mineral and lithic components while they were part of the immature pre-Serenitatis regolith.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Banerjee, S. K.: 1974,Interdisciplinary Studies of Samples from Boulder 1, Station 2, Apollo 17, L.S.I. Contr. No. 210D, pp. 153–156.
Banerjee, S. K. and Mellema, J. P.: 1974,Earth Planetary Sci. Letters 23, 177–184.
Banerjee, S. K. and Swits, G.: 1974,Interdisciplinary Studies of Samples from Boulder 1, Station 2, Apollo 17, L.S.I. Contr. No. 211D, pp. IX-1–IX-3.
Banerjee, S. K., Hoffman, K. A., and Swits, G.: 1974,Proc. Fifth Lunar Sci. Conf. 3, 2873–2881.
Dunlop, D. J. and West, G. F.: 1969,Rev. Geophys. 7, 709–758.
Fuller, M.: 1974,Rev. Geophys. Space Phys. 12, 23–70.
Hargraves, R. B. and Perkins, W. E.: 1970,J. Geophys. Res. 74, 2576–2589.
Hoffman, D. A. and Banerjee, S. K.: 1975,Earth Planetary Sci. Letters 25, 331–337.
Jovanovic, S. and Reed, G. W., Jr.: 1975, this issue, p. 385.
Morgan, J. W., Higuchi, H., and Anders, E.: 1975, this issue, p. 373.
Schmitt, H. H.: 1975, this issue, p. 491.
Stacey, F. D. and Banerjee, S. K.: 1974,Physical Principles of Rock Magnetism, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 196 pp.
Stoeser, D. B., Marvin, U. B., Wood, J. A., Wolfe, R. W., and Bower, J. F.: 1974,Proc. Fifth Lunar Sci. Conf. 1, 355–377.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Banerjee, S.K., Swits, G. Natural remanent magnetization studies of a layered Breccia Boulder from the lunar highland region. The Moon 14, 473–481 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00569677
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00569677