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The identity of lunar hydrolysable carbon

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Abstract

LUNAR soils treated with deuterated acid release a variety of deuterocarbon gases including CD4, C2D6, C2D4, C2D2 and C3 species1–3. We now suggest that the principal hydrolysable carbon phase in lunar samples is carbon in solid solution in body-centred cubic iron (α-Fe). The yield of deuterocarbons (excluding C2D2) from a lunar soil is probably a quantitative estimate of this carbon.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Organic Geochemistry Unit, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 ITS, UK

    A. J. T. JULL, G. EGLINTON & C. T. PILLINGER

  2. Grant Institute of Geology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3JW, UK

    G. M. BIGGAR

  3. Department of Chemistry, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, Australia

    B. D. BATTS

Authors
  1. A. J. T. JULL
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  2. G. EGLINTON
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  3. C. T. PILLINGER
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  4. G. M. BIGGAR
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  5. B. D. BATTS
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JULL, A., EGLINTON, G., PILLINGER, C. et al. The identity of lunar hydrolysable carbon. Nature 262, 566–567 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1038/262566a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/262566a0

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