Mass fractionation of the lunar surface by solar wind sputtering

Abstract

The sputtering of the lunar surface by the solar wind is examined as a possible mechanism of mass fractionation. Simple arguments based on current theories of sputtering and the ballistics of the sputtered atoms suggest that most ejected atoms will have sufficiently high energy to escape lunar gravity. However, the fraction of atoms which falls back to the surface is enriched in the heavier atomic components in relation to the lighter ones. This material is incorporated into the heavily radiation-damaged outer surfaces of grains, where it is subject to resputtering. Calculations predict that an equilibrium surface layer, enriched in heavier atoms, will form with δ(^(18)O) ≈ +20‰ ≈ δ(^(30)Si) and that oxygen will be depleted on the surface layers of grains relative to the bulk composition by about 12.5%. These results are in fair agreement with experiment. The dependence of the calculated results upon the energy spectrum of sputtered particles is investigated. We conclude that mass fractionation by solar wind sputtering is likely to be an important phenomenon on the lunar surface but that the complex isotopic variations observed in lunar soils cannot be completely explained by this mechanism.

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