Research

Late accretion onto the Moon and Earth

The moon is the only planetary body other than the Earth for which we have enough samples to reconstruct large- and small-scale processes like core-mantle differentiation, crust formation and subsequent formation of impact related structures and lithologies of variable size. In contrast to terrestrial samples, ancient lunar impact rocks retain a direct compositional and chronological record of late accretion which took place mainly from 4.4 to 3.8 billion years ago. Lunar impact melt rocks and impact breccias are produced by single or multiple impacts and are mixtures of impactors and different crustal rocks. Highly siderophile elements (HSE) like iridium, platinum and gold and siderophile volatile elements like copper, silver, tellurium, selenium and sulphur determined in such impact rocks provide insights into the composition of impactors as well as small-scale processes during impact rock formation. Furthermore, abundances of siderophile volatile elements in pristine lunar rocks (i.e., endogenous igneous rocks that have very little or no contamination with impactor material) help to constrain processes during formation of lunar reservoirs and are a prerequisite for interpretation of the lunar impactite data. By comparison with Earth and differentiated meteorite groups which are attributed to planets like Mars and asteroids like Vesta, we seek to understand the element inventory element budged of late accreted material onto terrestrial planets.

Fig. a) HSE-rich metal-schreibersite-troilite intergrowth in an ancient lunar impact melt rock. Photograph of an Apollo 16 sample provided by the National Aeronautics And Space Administration (NASA) for the project “Re-Os geochronology and abundances of highly siderophile elements in ancient lunar impact rocks”, funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). b) Schematic cross section and HSE abundance of typical metal-schreibersite-troilite globules in Apollo 16 impact melt rocks.

Anorthosites of the Kunene Intrusive Complex

Massif-type anorthosite complexes are characteristic features of the Proterozoic crust. Their apparent temporal restriction to the Proterozoic suggests unique tectono-thermal conditions during this period. The 18,000 km2 Kunene Intrusive Complex (Namibia/Angola) is one of the largest massif-type anorthosite complexes in the world. The rocks of the Kunene Intrusive Complex display well preserved magmatic cumulate textures and original mineral compositions, and hence allow the direct investigation of igneous processes active during their formation. In order to constrain the source of the parental melt and the impact of crustal contamination the anorthosites were investigated for their lithophile and highly siderophile trace element composition and their oxygen, strontium, neodymium, lead and osmium isotopic composition.

Tauern Window

The Tauern Window is the largest tectonic window in the Eastern Alps and exposes the Pennine nappe complex and underlying units of the European continental margin. The petrologic record of this area gives unique insights into processes during formation and subduction of the Tethys ocean floor, collision of European margin and the Adria plate, and the exhumation of the metamorphic nappe complex. Investigation of mineral assemblages and isotopic dating help us to determine P-T-t paths for different units within the Tauern Window and to resolve deformation and tectono-metamorphic history of the Eastern Alps. The formation age of the Alpine Tethys is well constrained in the Western and Central Alps but robust age constraints are lacking in the Eastern Alps. The intrusion age of mafic plutons can help to determine the time of oceanic crust formation and to constrain its affiliation to either the Liguria-Piemont or Valais oceanic basin of the Alpine Tethys. This distinction is crucial to paleogeographic reconstructions and our understanding of tectonic processes in the Alpine collision zone.

Fig. Zircon grains separated from a metamorphosed gabbro intrusion into the oceanic crust (now Pennine nappe complex of the south-central Tauern Window). LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating of such accessory phases reveals the intrusion age of the gabbro and formation age of the ancient Tethys ocean floor.

Publications

Gleißner, P., Salme, J., Becker, H. (2022): Siderophile volatile element inventory in lunar magmatic rocks and mantle sources. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 593, 117680. DOI: 10.1016/j.epsl.2022.117680

Gleißner, P., Franz, G., Frei, D. (2021):Contemporaneous opening of the Alpine Tethys in the Eastern and Western Alps: constraints from a Late Jurassic gabbro intrusion age in the Glockner Nappe, Tauern Window, Austria. Int J Earth Sci (Geol Rundsch). DOI: 10.1007/s00531-021-02075-z

Gleißner, P. and Becker, H. (2020): New constraints on the formation of lunar mafic impact melt breccias from S-Se-Te and highly siderophile elements. Meteoritics & Planetary Science 55, 2044-2065. DOI: 10.1111/maps.13557

Secchiari, A., Gleissner, P., Li, C., Goncharov, A., Milke, R., Becker, H., Bosch, D., Montanini, A. (2020): Highly siderophile and chalcophile element behaviour in abyssal-type and supra-subduction zone mantle: New insights from the New Caledonia ophiolite. Lithos 354, 105328. DOI: 10.1016/j.lithos.2019.105338

Gleißner, P., (2019): The Earth–Moon late-accretion conundrum. Nature Geoscience, Vol. 12, pp. 683–684. DOI: 10.1038/s41561-019-0445-0

Archer, G.J., Brennecka, G.A., Gleißner, P., Stracke, A., Becker, H., Kleine, T. (2019) Lack of late-accreted material as the origin of 182W excesses in the Archean mantle: Evidence from the Pilbara Craton, Western Australia. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 528, 115841. DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2019.115841.

Gleißner, P. and Becker, H. (2019): Origin of lunar fragmental matrix breccias – highly siderophile element constraints. Meteoritics & Planetary Science 54, 2006-2026. DOI: 10.1111/maps.13363.

Mari, N., Riches, A.J.V., Hallis, L.J., Marrocchi, Y., Villeneuve, J., Gleissner, P., Becker, H., Lee, M.R. (2019): Syneruptive incorporation of martian surface sulphur in the nakhlite lava flows revealed by S and Os isotopes and highly siderophile elements: implication for mantle sources in Mars. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 266, 416-434. DOI: 10.17169/refubium-25700

Gleißner, P. and Becker, H. (2017): Formation of Apollo 16 impactites and the composition of late accreted material: Constraints from Os isotopes, highly siderophile elements and sulfur abundances. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 200, 1-24. DOI: 10.1016/j.gca.2016.12.017

Gleißner, P., Drüppel, K., Becker, H. (2012): Osmium isotope and highly siderophile element constraints on the origin of the massif-type anorthosites of the Mesoproterozoic Kunene Intrusive Complex, NW Namibia. Chemical Geology 302-303, 33-47. DOI: 10.1080/00206814.2011.581799

Gleißner, P., Drüppel, K., Romer, R.L. (2011): The role of crustal contamination in massif-type anorthosites, new evidence from Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic composition of the Kunene Intrusive Complex, NW Namibia. Precambrian Research 185, 18-36. DOI: 10.1016/j.precamres.2010.11.004

Gleißner, P., Drüppel, K., Taubald, H. (2010): Magmatic evolution of anorthosites of the Kunene Intrusive Complex, NW Namibia: evidence from oxygen isotope data and trace element zoning. Journal of Petrology 51, 897-919. DOI: 10.1093/petrology/egq005

Gleissner, P., Glodny, J., Franz, G. (2007): Rb-Sr isotopic dating of pseudomorphs after lawsonite in metabasalts from the Glockner nappe, Tauern Window, Eastern Alps. European Journal of Mineralogy 19, 723-734. DOI: 10.1093/petrology/egq005

Glodny, J., Ring, U., Kühn, A., Gleissner, P., Franz, G. (2005): Crystallization and very rapid exhumation of the youngest Alpine eclogites (Tauern Window, Eastern Alps) from Rb/Sr mineral assemblage analysis. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 149, 699-712. DOI: 10.1007/s00410-005-0676-5

International conference abstracts:

Gleißner, P. and Becker, H. (2024) Compositional heterogeneity of basin forming impactors and large-scale impact gardening in the lunar highlands. Europlanet Science Comgress

Gleißner, P. and Becker, H. (2024) Siderophile volatile elements in lunar low-Ti mare basalts: constraints on mantle source compositions. 86th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society

Gleißner, P. ,Kallnik, N. and Becker, H. (2023) Siderophile volatile element inventory of lunar mare basalts: Constraints on magmatic processes and mantle sources. GeoBerlin/Annual Meeting of the DGGV

Gleißner, P. and Becker, H. (2023) Siderophile volatile element inventory of lunar low-Ti mare basalts: constraints on magmatic processes and mantle sources. Goldschmidt Conference

Gleißner, P., Salme, J., Becker, H. (2022): Siderophile volatile element inventory in lunar magmatic rocks and mantle sources. GeoMinKoeln/Annual Meeting of the DMG

Gleißner, P., Salme, J. and Becker, H. (2021): Siderophile volatile elements in lunar rocks - constraints on late-stage magmatic degassing. Goldschmidt Conference

Gleißner, P., Salme, J. and Becker, H. (2021): Magmatic fractionation and degassing of siderophile volatile elements in lunar magmatic rocks. 52nd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference

Gleißner, P. and Becker, H. (2019): The composition of basin forming impactors and large-scale impact gardening in the lunar highlands. 50th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference

Gleißner, P. and Becker, H. (2018): Siderophile elements in lunar granulitic impactites: constraints on the composition of pre 4 Ga late accretion. American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting Washington, D.C.

Gleißner, P. and Becker, H. (2018): The composition of lunar basin forming impactors: Constraints from siderophile elements in ancient impactites. 49th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference

Gleißner, P. and Becker, H. (2017): Combining S-Se-Te and highly siderophile element abundances in ancient lunar impactites – New constraints on impactor composition, mixing and lunar differentiation. Interdisciplinary workshop "Accretion and Early Differentiation of the Earth and Terrestrial Planets"

Gleißner, P. and Becker, H. (2017): Late accreted material on the lunar surface: Constraints from highly siderophile and chalcophile elements in ancient lunar impactites. New Views of the Moon 2 — Europe

Gleißner, P. and Becker, H. (2017): Combining S-Se-Te and highly siderophile element abundances in ancient lunar impactites – New constraints on impactor composition, mixing and lunar differentiation. 48th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference

Gleißner, P. and Becker, H. (2016): Highly siderophile and chalcophile elements in lunar impact rocks; Constraints on the composition of late accreted material. 79th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society

Gleißner, P. and Becker, H. (2016): Highly siderophile element fractionations in Apollo 16 impact melt rocks: Large-scale fractionation processes. 47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference

Gleißner, P. and Becker, H. (2016): Highly siderophile element fractionations in Apollo 16 impact melt rocks: Effects of small-scale processes. 47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference

Gleißner, P. and Becker, H. (2015): Highly siderophile element fractionations in Apollo 16 impact rocks: Origin by small-scale or largescale processes? 25th Goldschmidt Conference

Gleißner, P. and Becker, H. (2015): Highly siderophile and chalcophile elements in lunar impact melt rocks: evidence for mixing of impactor compositions. GeoBerlin Conference / Annual Meeting of the DMG

Gleißner, P. and Becker, H. (2014): Differentiated impactor signature in Apollo 16 impact melt rocks. 45th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference

Gleißner, P. and Becker, H. (2014): Highly siderophile elements in Apollo 16 impact melt rocks: constrains on late accreted material in the earth-moon system. Annual Meeting of the DMG

Gleißner, P., Drüppel, K., Becker, H. (2010): Osmium isotopes and highly siderophile element fractionation in the massif-type anorthosites of the Mesoproterozoic Kunene Intrusive Complex, NW Namibia. Annual Meeting of the DMG

Gleißner, P., Drüppel, K., Becker, H. (2010): Partitioning of highly siderophile elements between oxides and sulphides in anorthosites of the Mesoproterozoic Kunene Intrusive Complex, NW Namibia. Annual Meeting of the DMG

Gleißner, P., Drüppel, K., Taubald, H., Romer, R.L. (2009) Mantle source and crustal contamination of the Kunene Intrusive Complex, NW Namibia. Annual Meeting of the DMG

Gleißner, P., Drüppel, K., Brätz, H. (2009) Crustal contamination of anorthosites of the Kunene Intrusive Complex, Namibia: insights from LA-ICP-MS trace element analysis of plagioclase and intercumulus phases. Annual Meeting of the DMG

Gleißner, P., Drüppel, K., Taubald, H., Romer, R.L. (2009) Mantle source and crustal contamination of the anorthosites of the Kunene Intrusive Complex, NW Namibia. 19th Goldschmidt Conference

Gleißner, P., Drüppel, K., Taubald, H., Romer, R.L. (2008) Anorthosites of the Kunene Intrusive Complex, Namibia: new evidence from oxygen and radiogenic isotope data and mineral trace element zoning. Annual Meeting of the DMG

Gleißner, P., Drüppel, K., Taubald, H. (2008) Igneous evolution of anorthosites of the Kunene Intrusive Complex, Namibia: evidence from trace element zoning and oxygen isotope data. International Geologic Congress

Gleißner, P., Drüppel, K. (2007) Trace element zonation of plagioclase from the Kunene Intrusive Complex (NW Namibia). 17th Goldschmidt Conference

Gleißner, P., Drüppel, K. (2007) Textural and compositional characteristics of plagioclase phenocrysts from two distinct massif-type anorthosite bodies, NW Namibia: evidence for large-scale fluid-assisted reequilibration? Frontiers in mineral science conference

Gleißner, P., Franz, G., Glodny, J. (2006) Rb-Sr dating of pseudomorphs after lawsonite in greenschist-facies rocks, Tauern Window, Eastern Alps. Annual Meeting of the DMG

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