Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letters to Editor
  • Published:

Distribution of Methane and Carbide in Apollo 11 Fines

Nature Physical Science volume 241, pages 81–83 (1973)Cite this article

Abstract

METHANE (up to 5 µg g−1 carbon), and material behaving as carbide (releasing up to 23 µg g−1 carbon as CD4) on deuterated acid dissolution, are ubiquitous components of lunar fines1–4. The abundances of both components correlate with a number of parameters related to the extent of exposure of the samples on the lunar surface2,3. Also, location studies show that the CH4 and carbide are apparently concentrated at particle surfaces4,5. We have suggested therefore that the principal origins for each species involve processes occurring directly at the lunar surface, notably solar wind implantation for formation of CH4 and both solar wind implantation and meteorite impact for the formation of carbide1–4.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Abell, P. I., Eglinton, G., Maxwell, J. R., and Pillinger, C. T., Nature, 226, 251 (1970).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Abell, P. I., Cadogan, P. H., Eglinton, G., Maxwell, J. R., and Pillinger, C. T., Proc. Second Lunar Sci. Conf., Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, Suppl. 2, 2 (edit. by Levinson, A. A.), 1843 (MIT Press, 1971).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Cadogan, P. H., Eglinton, G., Maxwell, J. R., and Pillinger, C. T., Nature, 231, 29 (1971).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Cadogan, P. H., Eglinton, G., Firth, J. N. M., Maxwell, J. R., Mays, B. J., and Pillinger, C. T., Proc. Third Lunar Sci. Conf., Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, Suppl. 3, 2 (edit. by Heyman, D.), (MIT Press, 1972).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Holland, P. T., Simoneit, B. R., Wszolek, P. C., McFadden, W. H., and Burlingame, A. L., Nature, 235, 106 (1972).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Housely R. M., Grant, R. W., and Abdel-Gawad, M., Proc. Third Lunar Sci. Conf., Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, Suppl. 3, 3 (edit. by Criswell, D. A.) (MIT Press, 1972).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Holland, P. T., Simoneit, B. R., Wszolek, P. C., and Burlingame, A. L., Proc. Third Lunar Sci. Conf., Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, Suppl. 3, 2 (edit. by Heyman, D.) (MIT Press, 1972).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Sakai, H., Chang, S., Petrowski, C., Smith, J. W., and Kaplan, I. R., The Apollo 15 Lunar Samples (edit. by Chamberlain, J. W., and Watkins, C.), 319 (Lunar Science Institute, 1972).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Housely, R. M., Blander, M., Abdel-Gawad, M., Grant, R. W., and Muir, A. H., Proc. Apollo 11 Lunar Sci. Conf., Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, Suppl. 1, 3 (edit. by Levinson, A. A.) (Pergamon, 1970).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Cadogan, P. H., thesis, University of Bristol (1972).

  11. Quaide, W., and Bunch, T., Proc. Apollo 11 Lunar Sci. Conf., Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, Suppl. 1, 1 (edit. by Levinson, A. A.), 711 (Pergamon, 1970).

    Google Scholar 

  12. McKay, D. S., Greenwood, W. R., and Morrison, D. A., Proc. Apollo 11 Lunar Sci. Conf., Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, Suppl. 1, 1 (edit. by Levinson, A. A.), 673 (Pergamon, 1970).

    Google Scholar 

  13. Duke, M. B., Woo, C. C., Sellers, G. A., Bird, M. L., and Finkleman, R. B., Proc. Apollo 11 Lunar Sci. Conf. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, Suppl. 1, 1 (edit. by Levinson, A. A.), 347 (Pergamon, 1970).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Frondel, C., Klein, C., Ito, J., and Drake, J. C., Proc. Apollo 11 Lunar Sci. Conf., Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 1, 1 (edit. by Levinson, A. A.), 445 (Pergamon, 1970).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Von Englehardt, W., Arndt, J., Muller, W. F., and Stoffler, D., Proc. Apollo 11 Lunar Sci. Conf., Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, Suppl. 1, 1 (edit. by Levinson, A. A.), 363 (Pergamon, 1970).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Pillinger, C. T., Cadogan, P. H., Eglinton, G., Maxwell, J. R., Mays, B. J., Grant, W. A., and Nobes, M. J., Nature Physical Science, 235, 106 (1972).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  17. Carter, J. L., Proc. Third Lunar Sci. Conf., Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, Suppl. 3, 1 (edit. by King, E. A.) (MIT Press, 1972).

    Google Scholar 

  18. Ringwood, A. E., Rev. Geophys., 4, 113 (1967).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  19. Kirsten, T., Muller, O., Steinbrunn, F., and Zähringer, J., Proc. Apollo 11 Lunar Sci. Conf., Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, Suppl. 1, 2 (edit. by Levinson, A. A.), 1331 (Pergamon, 1970).

    Google Scholar 

  20. Heymann, D., and Yaniv, A., Proc. Apollo 11 Lunar Sci. Conf., Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, Suppl. 1, 2 (edit. by Levinson, A. A.), 1247 (Pergamon, 1970).

    Google Scholar 

  21. Funkhouser, J. G., Schaeffer, O. A., Bogard, D. D., and Zähringer, J., Proc. Apollo 11 Lunar Sci. Conf., Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, Suppl. 1, 2 (edit. by Levinson, A. A.), 1111 (Pergamon, 1970).

    Google Scholar 

  22. Anderson, J. R., and Baker, B. G., Chemisorption and Reactions on Metallic Films (edit. by Anderson, J. R.), 64 (Academic Press, New York, 1971).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. P. H. CADOGAN

    Present address: Department of Physics, The University, Sheffield, S3 7RH

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Organic Geochemistry Unit, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol,

    P. H. CADOGAN, G. EGLINTON, J. R. MAXWELL & C. T. PILLINGER

Authors
  1. P. H. CADOGAN
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. G. EGLINTON
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J. R. MAXWELL
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. C. T. PILLINGER
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

CADOGAN, P., EGLINTON, G., MAXWELL, J. et al. Distribution of Methane and Carbide in Apollo 11 Fines. Nature Physical Science 241, 81–83 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1038/physci241081a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/physci241081a0

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing