High precision, high accuracy measurement of oxygen isotopes in a large lunar zircon by SIMS

Ninety-seven high precision, high spatial-resolution ion microprobe analyses of oxygen isotopes in a single, large zircon crystal from a lunar soil sample yield a surprising and unexpectedly large range in δ18OSMOW from 4.5 to 9.2%. Detailed consideration of sample mounting, polishing, and sample-st...

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Main Authors: Whitehouse, M., Nemchin, Alexander
Format: Journal Article
Published: Elsevier Science BV 2008
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/8939
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author Whitehouse, M.
Nemchin, Alexander
author_facet Whitehouse, M.
Nemchin, Alexander
author_sort Whitehouse, M.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Ninety-seven high precision, high spatial-resolution ion microprobe analyses of oxygen isotopes in a single, large zircon crystal from a lunar soil sample yield a surprising and unexpectedly large range in δ18OSMOW from 4.5 to 9.2%. Detailed consideration of sample mounting, polishing, and sample-standard orientation suggests that this variation was caused by analytical artefact(s) degrading the accuracy of δ18O values. Careful control of these parameters effectively eliminated the variation and the two most reliable sets of analyses, obtained when the sample and standard were mounted within 2 mm in the centre of the mount, yield a combined weighted average δ18OSMOW value of 5.70 ± 0.07% (95% confidence). This value is indistinguishable from bulk rock analyses of low-Ti lunar basalts and suggests that, at least under anhydrous conditions, there is minimal fractionation accompanying zircon crystallisation.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-89392017-09-13T16:06:25Z High precision, high accuracy measurement of oxygen isotopes in a large lunar zircon by SIMS Whitehouse, M. Nemchin, Alexander Oxygen isotopes Ion microprobe Moon Zircon Ninety-seven high precision, high spatial-resolution ion microprobe analyses of oxygen isotopes in a single, large zircon crystal from a lunar soil sample yield a surprising and unexpectedly large range in δ18OSMOW from 4.5 to 9.2%. Detailed consideration of sample mounting, polishing, and sample-standard orientation suggests that this variation was caused by analytical artefact(s) degrading the accuracy of δ18O values. Careful control of these parameters effectively eliminated the variation and the two most reliable sets of analyses, obtained when the sample and standard were mounted within 2 mm in the centre of the mount, yield a combined weighted average δ18OSMOW value of 5.70 ± 0.07% (95% confidence). This value is indistinguishable from bulk rock analyses of low-Ti lunar basalts and suggests that, at least under anhydrous conditions, there is minimal fractionation accompanying zircon crystallisation. 2008 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/8939 10.1016/j.chemgeo.2008.09.009 Elsevier Science BV restricted
spellingShingle Oxygen isotopes
Ion microprobe
Moon
Zircon
Whitehouse, M.
Nemchin, Alexander
High precision, high accuracy measurement of oxygen isotopes in a large lunar zircon by SIMS
title High precision, high accuracy measurement of oxygen isotopes in a large lunar zircon by SIMS
title_full High precision, high accuracy measurement of oxygen isotopes in a large lunar zircon by SIMS
title_fullStr High precision, high accuracy measurement of oxygen isotopes in a large lunar zircon by SIMS
title_full_unstemmed High precision, high accuracy measurement of oxygen isotopes in a large lunar zircon by SIMS
title_short High precision, high accuracy measurement of oxygen isotopes in a large lunar zircon by SIMS
title_sort high precision, high accuracy measurement of oxygen isotopes in a large lunar zircon by sims
topic Oxygen isotopes
Ion microprobe
Moon
Zircon
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/8939