Lunar Meteorite: Allan Hills A81005

Allan Hills A81005 has a partial greenish fusion crust. It is somewhat vesicular, which is characteristic of fusion crusts on lunar regolith breccias. Regolith at the lunar surface contains implanted atoms of solar wind, mostly hydrogen and helium. This gas is released when the exterior of the stone melts as it passes through Earth’s atmosphere. Image credit: NASA/JSC S82-35869 (color adjusted)
Many clasts are visible on this broken face.  Like other lunar regolith breccias, but unlike many terrestrial sedimentary rocks, the clasts are unsorted – they come in a complete range of sizes. Image credit: NASA/JSC S82-35865 (color adjusted)
Another view of the meteorite. Image credit: NASA.JSC S83-34612
Lunar regolith breccias are fractal objects – regardless of the scale, they look similar.  This image is a photomicrograph of a thin section of a fragment of ALHA A81005.  The width of the fragment is ~3 mm, a factor-of-10 less than the width of broken face of the whole meteorite. Photo credit: Randy Korotev

Listed in The Meteoritical Bulletin, No. 76, Meteoritics 29, 100-143 (1994)

From Antarctic Meteorite Newsletter, Vol. 6, No. 1, February (1983)

Allan Hills A81005 (ALHA81005)

Allan Hills, Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica
Found: 1982 January 18
Mass: 31.4 g (1 piece)

Classification: Anorthositic Breccia

Physical Description: Roberta Score. This is an unusual looking sample! Flow marks are apparent on the exterior which is covered with a pitted, glassy, greenish-tan colored crust. Immediately underneath this crust, the surface is a “dusty” gray color. The interior consists of abundant angular clasts, which range in color from gray to white, set in a black matrix. The size of the clasts are as small as submillimeter and as large as 8 mm in diameter. The sample is very coherent. Some areas of oxidation were noted. Dimensions: 3 x 2.5 x 3 cm.

Petrographic Description: Brian Mason. The specimen is a microbreccia of clasts (maximum dimension 4 mm) in a translucent to semi-opaque dark brown glassy matrix showing flow structure in places; clast:matrix ratio is approximately 40:60. The larger clasts are polymineralic, the smaller (less than 0.3 mm) may be individual mineral grains. The clasts consist largely of plagioclase, together with some pyroxene and occasional olivine; most of the mineral grains are plagioclase. The clasts show a variety of textures, including gabbroic, diabasic, and basaltic; many have been shocked and partly granulated. Some of the clasts resemble eucrites, but many appear to be more feldspathic than most eucrites. The section is notable for the complete absence of opaque minerals, except for a 1 mm metal grain. Microprobe analyses show that the plagioclase is very Ca-rich, averaging An97 (range An95-98); pyroxene is variable in composition, Wo1-41, En44-79, Fs7-47 (richer in En than most eucrite pyroxenes); several grains of olivine, Fa11-40, were analyzed. The meteorite is a breccia, but more feldspathic than most eucrites; some of the clasts resemble the anorthositic clasts described from lunar rocks.

Randy Says…

Allan Hills A81005 is the first meteorite to be recognized as originating from the Moon. It was suspected to be lunar in the field and when first examined in the lab (above). After many studies (below) it was proven to be of lunar origin in the spring of 1983, a little over 10 years after the last Apollo mission to the Moon.

More Information

Meteoritical Bulletin Database

Allan Hills A81005

Lunar Meteorite Compendium

Allan Hills A81005

Map

ANSMET Location Map

References

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Joy K. H., Nagashima K., Huss G. R., Zolensky M. E., and Kring D. A. (2012) Mineral chemistry and oxygen isotope analysis of a chondritic projectile in lunar meteorite Pecora Escarpment 02007. 43rd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, abstract no. 1021.

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Marvin U. B. (1983) Some petrologic comparisons between ALHA81005 and lunar highland soil breccias. Lunar and Planetary Science XIV, Abstracts from the Session on Meteorites from Earth’s Moon, p. 18-19, abstract #6010.

Marvin U. B. (1983) The discovery and initial characterization of Allan Hills 81005: The first lunar meteorite. Geophysical Research Letters 10, 775-778.

Mayeda T. K. and Clayton R. N. (1983) Oxygen isotopic composition of ALHA 81005. Lunar and Planetary Science XIV, Abstracts from the Session on Meteorites from Earth’s Moon, p. 20-21, abstract #6011.

Mayeda T. K., Clayton R. N., and Molini-Velsko C. A. (1983) Oxygen and silicon isotopes in ALHA 81005. Geophysical Research Letters 10, 799-800.

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Pieters C. M., Hawke B. R., Gaffey M., and McFadden L. A. (1983) Possible lunar source areas of meteorite ALHA81005: Geochemical remote sensing information. Geophysical Research Letters 10, 813-816.

Rahilly K. E. and Treiman A. H. (2009) Granulite clasts of intermediate Mg* in lunar meteorite ALHA 81005: Chemical compositions and origins. 40th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, abstract no. 1168.

Rao A. S. P. (1986) Origin of ALHA 81005: Another view. Meteoritics 21, 488-489.

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Robinson K. L., Barnes J. J., Tartèse R., Hallis L. J., Franchi I. A., Anand M., and Taylor G. J. (2014) Apatite in Allan Hills 81005 and the origin of water in the lunar magma ocean. 45th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, abstract no. 2413.

Ryder G. (1983) Glass in ALHA 81005,8 and mare basalts in highlands breccias. Meteoritics 18, 390-391.

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Ryder G. and Ostertag R. (1983) ALHA 81005: Moon, Mars, petrography, and Giordano Bruno. Geophysical Research Letters 10, 791-794.

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Simon S. B., Papike J. J., and Shearer C. K. (1983) Petrology and mineral chemistry of ALHA 81005. Lunar and Planetary Science XIV, Abstracts from the Session on Meteorites from Earth’s Moon, p. 31-32, abstract #6017.

Simon S. B., Papike J. J., and Shearer C. K. (1983) Petrology of ALHA81005, the first lunar meteorite. Geophysical Research Letters 10, 787-790.

Sutton S. R. (1986) Thermoluminescence of lunar meteorites Yamato-791197 and ALHA-81005. Proceedings 10th Symposium Antarctic Meteorites. Proceedings of the Tenth Symposium on Antarctic Meteorites, 1985. Memoirs of the National Institute of Polar Research, Special Issue 41, 133-139.

Sutton S. R. and Crozaz G. (1983) Thermoluminescence and tracks in ALHA-81005: Constraints on the history of this unusual meteorite. Lunar and Planetary Science XIV, Abstracts from the Session on Meteorites from Earth’s Moon, p. 33-34, abstract no. 6018.

Sutton S. R. and Crozaz G. (1983) Thermoluminescence and nuclear particle tracks in ALHA 81005: Evidence for a brief transit time. Geophysical Research Letters 10, 809-812.

Takeda H., Mori H., and Tagai T. (1986) Mineralogy of Antarctic lunar meteorites and differentiated products of the lunar crust. Proceedings of the Tenth Symposium on Antarctic Meteorites, 1985. Memoirs of the National Institute of Polar Research, Special Issue 41, 45-57.

Treiman A. H. and Drake M. J. (1983) Meteorite from the moon: Petrology of terrae clasts and one mare clast in ALHA 81005,9. Lunar and Planetary Science XIV, Abstracts from the Session on Meteorites from Earth’s Moon, p. 35-36, abstract no. 6019.

Treiman A. H. and Drake M. J. (1983) Origin of lunar meteorite ALHA 81005: Clues from the presence of terrae clasts and a very low-titanium mare basalt clast. Geophysical Research Letters 10, 783-786.

Treiman A. H. and Gross J. (2013) Basalt related to lunar Mg-suite plutonic rocks: A fragment in lunar meteorite ALH 81005. 76th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society, abstract no. 5183.

Treiman A. H., Maloy A. K., and Shearer C. K. Jr. (2008) Magnesian anorthositic granulite: An abundant, significant, and poorly understood lunar rock type of the lunar highlands. NLSI Lunar Science Conference, LPI Contribution No. 1415, abstract no. 2112.

Treiman A. H., Maloy A. K., Shearer C. K. Jr., and Gross J. (2010) Magnesian anorthositic granulites in lunar meteorites Allan Hills A81005 and Dhofar 309: Geochemistry and global significance. Meteoritics & Planetary Science 45, 163-180.

Tuniz C., Pal D. K., Moniot R. K., Savin W., Kruse T. H., Herzog G. F., and Evans J. C. (1983) Recent cosmic ray exposure history of ALHA 81005. Lunar and Planetary Science XIV, Abstracts from the Session on Meteorites from Earth’s Moon, p. 37-38, abstract no. 6020.

Tuniz C., Pal D. K., Moniot R. K., Savin W., Kruse T. H., Herzog G. F., and Evans J. C. (1983) Recent cosmic ray exposure history of ALHA 81005. Geophysical Research Letters 10, 804-806.

Verkouteren R. M., Dennison J. E., and Lipschutz M. E. (1983) Siderophile, lithophile and volatile trace elements in Allan Hills A81005. Lunar and Planetary Science XIV, Abstracts from the Session on Meteorites from Earth’s Moon, p. 39-40, abstract no. 6021.

Verkouteren R. M., Dennison J. E., and Lipschutz M. E. (1983) Siderophile, lithophile and mobile trace elements in the lunar meteorite Allan Hills 81005. Geophysical Research Letters 10, 821-824.

Warren P. H. and Kallemeyn G. W. (1986) Geochemistry of lunar meteorite Yamato-791197: Comparison with ALHA81005 and other lunar samples. Proceedings of the Tenth Symposium on Antarctic Meteorites, 1985. Memoirs of the National Institute of Polar Research Special Issue 41, 3-16.

Warren P. H. and Kallemeyn G. W. (1987) Geochemistry of lunar meteorite Yamato-82192: Comparison with Yamato-791197, ALHA81005, and other lunar samples. Proceedings of the Eleventh Symposium on Antarctic Meteorites, 1986. Memoirs of the National Institute of Polar Research, Special Issue 46, 3-20.

Warren P. H. and Kallemeyn G. W. (1991) Geochemical investigations of five lunar meteorites: Implications for the composition, origin and evolution of the lunar crust. Proceedings of the NIPR Symposium on Antarctic Meteorites 4, 91-117.

Warren P. H., Taylor G. J., Keil K. (1983) Regolith breccia ALHA 81005: Evidence of lunar origin, and nature of pristine and nonpristine clasts. Lunar and Planetary Science XIV, 828-829.

Warren P. H., Taylor G. J., Keil K. (1983) ALHA 81005: a meteorite from the moon — But can we rule out Mercury? Lunar and Planetary Science XIV, Abstracts from the Session on Meteorites from Earth’s Moon, p. 41-42, abstract no. 6022.

Warren P. H., Taylor G. J., Keil K. (1983) Regolith breccia Allan Hills A81005: Evidence of lunar origin and petrography of pristine and nonpristine clasts. Geophysical Research Letters 10, 779-782.

Warren P. H., Jerde E. A., and Kallemeyn G. W. (1989) Lunar meteorites: siderophile element contents, and implications for the composition and origin of the Moon. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 91, 245-260.

Yanai K. and Kojima H. (1991) Varieties of lunar meteorites recovered from Antarctica. Proceedings of the NIPR Symposium on Antarctic Meteorites 4, 70-90.

Lunar Meteorites
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