The Age of the Carbonates in Martian Meteorite ALH84001

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftTidsskriftartikelForskningfagfællebedømt

  • Lars E. Borg
  • Connelly, James
  • Larry E. Nyquist
  • Chi-Y. Shih
  • Henry Wiesmann
  • Young Reese

The age of secondary carbonate mineralization in the martian meteorite ALH84001 was determined to be 3.90 ± 0.04 billion years by rubidium- strontium (Rb-Sr) dating and 4.04 ± 0.10 billion years by lead-lead (Pb-Pb) dating. The Rb-Sr and Pb-Pb isochrons are defined by leachates of a mixture of high-graded carbonate (visually estimated as ~5 percent), whitlockite (trace), and orthopyroxene (~95 percent). The carbonate formation age is contemporaneous with a period in martian history when the surface is thought to have had flowing water, but also was undergoing heavy bombardment by meteorites. Therefore, this age does not distinguish between aqueous and impact origins for the carbonates.

OriginalsprogEngelsk
TidsskriftScience
Vol/bind286
Udgave nummer5437
Sider (fra-til)90-94
Antal sider5
ISSN0036-8075
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 1999
Eksternt udgivetJa

ID: 334861246