Abstract
OUR knowledge of the Moon's surface composition has come from samples returned by the Apollo and Luna missions, and from eleven lunar meteorites, all of which were discovered in Antarctica1,2. Here we report the discovery of a new lunar meteorite, Calcalong Creek, in a desert region of Australia which is analogous to Antarctica in its ability to preserve meteorites of different types3. On the basis of a diagnostic Fe/Mn ratio of 73–78, and other element abundances, we conclude that Calcalong Creek is a lunar breccia, containing both highland and mare materials. Whereas the Apollo and Luna missions selectively sampled only 5% of the lunar crust, lunar meteorites should provide a random sample4; nevertheless there has been some concern that the Antarctic meteorite population may be biased in some way5. Calcalong Creek will add to our understanding of lunar petrology, and as the first non-Antarctic lunar meteorite, may also shed new light on the transfer of impact ejecta from the Moon to the Earth.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Score, R. & Lindstrom, M. M. Antarct. Met. Newslett. 13:1, 84–132 (1990).
Yanai, K. & Kojima, H. Abstr. 53rd Met. Soc. 187 (1990).
Bevan, A. W. R. & Binns, R. A. Meteoritics 24, 127–133 (1989).
Delaney, J. S. Nature 342, 889–890 (1989).
Warren, P. H. & Kallemeyn, G. W. Proc. NIPR Symp. Antarctic Meteorites 4 (in the press).
Stoffler, D. et al. Proc. Conf. Lunar Highlands Crust (eds Papike, J. J. & Merrill, R. B.) 51–70 (Pergamon, New York, 1980).
Laul, J. C. & Schmitt, R. A. Proc. 4th Lunar Sci. Conf. (ed. Gose, W. A.) 1349–1367 (Pergamon, New York, 1973).
Warren, P. H. & Kallemeyn, G. W. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 53, 3323–3300 (1989).
Wood, J. A. Proc. 6th Lunar Sci. Conf. (ed. Merrill, R. B.) 1087–1102 (Pergamon, New York, 1975).
Naney, M. T. et al. Proc. 7th Lunar Sci. Conf. (ed. Merrill, R. B.) 155–184 (Pergamon, New York, 1976).
Lindstrom, M. M. et al. Proc. NIPR Symp. Antarctic Meteorites 4 (in the press).
Metzger, A. E. et al. Proc. 10th Lunar Planet. Sci. Conf. (ed. Merrill, R. B.) 1719–1726 (Pergamon, New York, 1979).
Pieters, C. M. Proc. 9th Lunar Planet. Sci. Conf. (ed. Merrill, R. B) 2825–2849 (Pergamon, New York, 1978).
Taylor, S. R. Planetary Science: A Lunar Perspective (Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, 1982).
Warren, P. H. & Wasson, J. T. Rev. Geophys. Space Phys. 17, 73–88 (1979).
Warren, P. H. in Workshop on Moon in Transition; Apollo 14 KREEP, and Evolved Lunar Rocks (eds Taylor, J. G. Warren, P. H.) 149–152 (Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, 1989).
Lunar Sourcebook A User's Guide to the Moon (eds Heiken, G. H. & Vaniman, D. T.) 736 (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1991).
Palme, H. et al. Abstr. 21st Lunar Planet. Sci. Conf. XXI 930–931 (1990).
Fukuoka, J. et al. Proc. 8th Lunar Sci. Conf. (ed Merrill, R. B.) 187–210 (Pergamon, New York, 1977).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hill, D., Boynton, W. & Haag, R. A lunar meteorite found outside the Antarctic. Nature 352, 614–617 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1038/352614a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/352614a0
- Springer Nature Limited