Rare Gases, Hydrogen, and Nitrogen: Concentrations and Isotopic Composition in Lunar Material

Abstract

The concentrations and isotopic abundances of the rare gases have been investigated in fines and three types of rocks. The results obtained from different grain-size fractions and from samples etched to different degrees with nitric and hydrofluoric acids demonstrate the strong concentrations of the solar-wind component in the surface layers of the grains. Exposure ages as well as gas retention ages have been determined in different types of Apollo 11 material. Hydrogen, nitrogen, and other gases have been analyzed by a high-resolution mass spectrometer. As compared with that in terrestrial water, deuterium is depleted by at least a factor of 3 in the investigated type C rocks.