Native Ytterbium of Regolith AS Luna-24

摘要

Native ytterbium first identified in a single brownish orange glass fragment collected from the deepest part (184-189 cm) of the bore core delivered from the Mare Crisium of the Moon to the Earth by the Luna-24 Automatic Station is described. As follows from X-ray elemental maps, the ytterbium grain is metallic. Possible mechanisms of its formation and reasons for its elevated corrosion stability are discussed.