Formation and growth of nanophase iron particles on the surface of Mercury revealed by experimental study

Space weathering is a primary factor in altering the composition and spectral characteristics of surface materials on airless planets.However,current research on space weathering focuses mainly on the Moon and certain types of asteroids.In particular,the impacts of meteoroids and micrometeoroids,radiation from solar wind/solar flares/cosmic rays,and thermal fatigue due to temperature variations are being studied.Space weathering produces various transformation products such as melted glass,amorphous layers,iron particles,vesicles,and solar wind water.These in turn lead to soil maturation,changes in visible and near-infrared reflectance spectra(weakening of characteristic absorption peaks,decreased reflectance,increased near-infrared slope),and alterations in magnetism(related to small iron particles),collectively termed the“lunar model”of space weathering transformation.Compared to the Moon and asteroids,Mercury has unique spatial environmental characteristics,including more intense meteoroid impacts and solar thermal radiation,as well as a weaker particle radiation environment due to the global distribution of its magnetic field.Therefore,the lunar model of space weathering may not apply to Mercury.Previous studies have extensively explored the eff ects of micrometeoroid impacts.Hence,this work focuses on the eff ects of solar-wind particle radiation in global magnetic-field distribution and on the weathering transformation of surface materials on Mercury under prolonged intense solar irradiation.Through the utilization of highvalence state,heavy ion implantation,and vacuum heating simulation experiments,this paper primarily investigates the weathering transformation characteristics of the major mineral components such as anorthite,pyroxene,and olivine on Mercury’s surface and compares them to the weathering transformation model of the Moon.The experimental results indicate that ion implantation at room temperature is insufficient to generate np-Fe^(0)directly but can facilitate its formation,while prolonged exposure to solar thermal radiation on Mercury’s surface can lead directly to the formation of np-Fe^(0).Therefore,intense solar thermal radiation is a crucial component of the unique space weathering transformation process on Mercury’s surface.

Dehydration melting of amphibolite at 1.5 GPa and 800–950C:Implications for the Mesozoic potassium-rich adakite in the eastern North China Craton

Mesozoic intermediate-felsic magmatic rocks in the eastern North China Craton commonly show geochemical similarity to adakites.However,the lack of direct constraints from partial melting experiments at high pressures and temperatures fuels a debate over the origin of these rocks.In this work,we performed partial melting experiments at 1.5 GPa and 800–950℃on amphibolite samples collected from the vicinity of the Mesozoic potassium-rich adakitic rocks in the Zhangjiakou area,northern margin of the North China Craton.The experimental melts range from granitic to granodioritic compositions,with SiO_(2)=56.4–72.6 wt.%,Al_(2)O_(3)=16.1–19.3 wt.%,FeO^(*)=2.4–9.6 wt.%,MgO=0.3–2.0 wt.%,CaO=0.6–3.8 wt.%,Na_(2)O=4.7–5.3 wt.%,and K_(2)O=2.6–3.9 wt.%,which are in the ranges of the surrounding Mesozoic potassium-rich adakitic rocks,except for the higher Al_(2)O_(3)contents and the data point at 1.5 GPa and 800℃.Trace element compositions of the melts measured by LA-ICP-MS are rich in Sr(849–1067 ppm)and light rare earth elements(LREEs)and poor in Y(<10.4 ppm)and Yb(<0.88 ppm),and have high Sr/Y(102–221)and(La/Yb)n(27–41)ratios and strongly fractionated rare earth element(REE)patterns,whereas no obvious negative Eu anomalies are observed.The geochemical characteristics show overall similarity to the Mesozoic potassium-rich adakitic rocks in the area,especially adakites with low Mg#,again except for the data point at 1.5 GPa and 800℃.The results suggest that partial melting of amphibolite can produce potassium-rich adakitic rocks with low Mg#in the eastern North China Craton under the experimental conditions of 1.5 GPa and 850–950℃.The experimental restites consist of hornblende(Hbl)+plagioclase(Pl)+garnet(Grt)±clinopyroxene(Cpx),a mineral assemblage significantly different from that of the nearby Hannuoba mafic granulite xenoliths which consist of Cpx+orthopyroxene(Opx)+Pl±Grt.Chemically,the experimental restites contain higher Al_(2)O_(3)but lower MgO and CaO than the Hannuoba mafic granulite xenoliths.We therefore argue that the Hannuoba mafic granulite xenoliths cannot represent the direct products of partial melting of the experimental amphibolite.

嫦娥五号月壤中首次发现蒸发沉积成因的蓝辉铜矿

由于缺乏磁场和大气的保护,月球表面持续受到陨石和微陨石的轰击.撞击引起的气化沉积作用是月表典型的改造过程,该过程往往伴随独特矿物相的产生(如纳米金属铁以及铁硅化合物).研究团队通过对嫦娥五号月壤进行细致的扫描电子显微镜观察,在纯铁颗粒以及玻璃质表面发现了具有典型气相沉积特征的含铜组分,进一步通过透射电子显微镜以及电子能量损失谱确认了这些含铜沉积物为蓝辉铜矿这是首次在月壤中发现此类矿物.本研究提供了月表硫化物发生气化沉积的直接证据,揭示了月表撞击过程引起的气相组分迁移及其对月表物质的显著改造效应.同时,嫦娥五号月壤中蓝辉铜矿的发现进一步拓宽了人们对月表复杂矿物组成的认识.