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Geochemistry

thin-section of basalt in polarized light

Lunar Basalt

This thin section, viewed in polarized light, shows olivine-normative basalt (5 mm. field of view). Abundant olivine crystals are the brightly colored granular – equant minerals. They are enclosed in large poikilitic plagioclase crystals (light grey minerals displaying twinning). This 3.3 billion year old lava is from the Apollo 12 landing site in Oceanus Procellarum. Image courtesy of Tim Grove.
view of the Sinai penninsula

Sinai Penninsula

While sedimentary strata blanket most of the region, the darker triangular area near the tip of the Peninsula consists of Precambrian metamorphic rocks intruded by granite masses (lighter oval patches). The color break along the northern limb of the triangle marks the eroded edge of the sedimentary cover. The Gulf of Suez rift, along the western edge of the Peninsula, and the Red Sea rift farther south are areas of modern basalt emplacement. Image STS056-151-175 and description courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center.

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