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NASA NTRS1974

Petrography and classification of Apollo 17 non-mare rocks with emphasis on samples from the Station 6 boulder

The Apollo-17 nonmare rock collection consists largely of polymict breccias lithified by impact and characterized by a variety of types of lithic clasts, concentrations of siderophile elements that indicate substantial meteoritic contamination, and contents of metallic iron well above those of mare basalts. These materials may be subdivided into two compositional groups, one with 70-80% feldspar and the other with 50-60% feldspar. The high-feldspar group includes two characteristic textures: coarsely poikilitic and granulitic. The low-feldspar group includes (1) fragmental breccias with the most diverse lithic clast populations of all breccias and (2) crystalline breccias with poikilitic and subophitic to micropoikilitic textures containing tabular feldspar, granular textures with anhedral feldspar, and clast-rich ophitic textures containing less euhedral feldspar. In the poikilitic and subophitic to micropoikilitic textures, the clast population is dominated by the high-feldspar lithologies and An(94-47) plagioclase grains, indicating that these more refractory lithologies were abundant in the material from which the less feldspathic crystalline rocks formed.

Simonds, C. H.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Indigenous Carbonaceous Phases Embedded Within Surface Deposits on Apollo 17 Volcanic Glass Beads

The assessment of indigenous organic matter in returned lunar samples was one of the primary scientific goals of the Apollo program. Prior studies of Apollo samples have shown the total amount of organic matter to be in the range of approx 50 to 250 ppm. Low concentrations of lunar organics may be a consequence not only of its paucity but also its heterogeneous distribution. Several processes should have contributed to the lunar organic inventory including exogenous carbonaceous accretion from meteoroids and interplanetary dust particles, and endogenous synthesis driven by early planetary volcanism and cosmic and solar radiation.

Thomas-Keprta, K. L.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Indigenous Carbon Embedded in Apollo 17 Black Volcanic Glass Surface Deposits

The assessment of indigenous organic matter in returned lunar samples was one of the primary scientific goals of the Apollo program. The levels of such organic material were expected to be and found to be small. Previous work on this topic includes Murphy et al. [1] who reported the presence of anthropogenic organics with sub-ppm concentrations in Apollo 11 fines. In Apollo 12 samples, Preti et al. [2] detected low levels, < 10 ppb or below, of more complex organic material that may have been synthesized by abrupt heating during analysis. Kvenvolden et al. [3] detected porphyrin-like pigments at the ng to pg level in an Apollo 11 bulk sample. Hodgson et al. [4] and Ponnamperuma et al. [5] suggested that most if not all porphyrins were synthesized from rocket fuel during module landing. Chang et al. [6] reported indigenous carbon ranging from 5-20 g/g in the form of metal carbides in Apollo 11 fines. Hare et al. [7] reported amino acids at he 50 ng/g level in Apollo 11 samples but suggested the results may be explained as contamination. More recently, Clemett et al. [8] reported simple polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons at concentrations of < 1ppm in an Apollo 16 soil. Low concentrations of lunar organics may be a consequence not only of its paucity, but also its heterogeneous distribution. If the sample size required for a measurement is large relative to the localization of organics, detection is limited not by ultimate sensitivity but rather by the ability to distinguish an indigenous signature from background contamination [9].

Thomas-Keprta, Kathie L.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Apollo 17 photographic processing control document

The control parameters are defined which are to be used by the Photographic Technology Division for the processing of all films flown on Apollo Mission J-3. The procedures necessary for establishment of processing control are given along with information for denoting and solving any problem areas or conflicts which may occur prior to the mission.

Weinstein, M. S.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Apollo 17 high-Ti mare basalts - New bulk compositional data, magma types, and petrogenesis

Bulk compositional and mineral chemical data for 28 previously unanalyzed samples support the classification of Apollo-17 high-Ti mare basalts into three-types (A, B, and C), defined on the basis of analyses of fine-grained basalts. The most MgO- and TiO2-rich fine-grained basalts of these types appear to be the best choices for representing the compositions of the parent magmas.

Warner, R. D.↗
NASA NTRS1979

The unique nature of Apollo 17 VLT mare basalts

Three very low-Ti (VLT) basalt fragments (two with granular texture and one with granular to subophitic texture) were found during a study of light-colored lithic fragments hand-picked from the Apollo-17 deep drill core. In the present paper, some unique features of these fragments are revealed.

Wentworth, S.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Lunar gravity - Apollo 17

Gravity results are displayed as a band of contours about 60 km wide spanning 140 deg of frontside longitude. The contours traverse Grimaldi, Mare Procellarum, Copernicus, Apennines, Mare Serenitatis, Littrow, and Mare Crisium. Redundant gravity areas previously mapped by Apollos 14, 15, 16, and the Apollo subsatellites are tabulated and show excellent consistency. Modeling of Grimaldi reveals a loading greater than the known mascons and thus makes Grimaldi the smallest known mascon feature. Copernicus' gravity profile is best modeled with a mass defect for the basin and a mass excess for the rim. Mare Serenitatis has an irregular mass distribution with central gravity highs shifted approximately 3 deg in latitude.

Sjogren, W. L.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Morphology and composition of condensates on Apollo 17 orange and black glass

Lunar soil sample 74220 and core samples 74001/2 consist mainly of orange glass droplets, droplet fragments, and their crystallized equivalents. These samples are now generally accepted to be pyroclastic ejecta from early lunar volcanic eruptions. It has been known since early examination of these samples that they contain surface coatings and material rich in volatile condensible phases, including S, Zn, F, Cl, and many volatile metals. The volatiles associated with these orange and black glasses (and the Apollo 15 green glasses) may provide important clues in understanding the differentiation and volcanic history of the Moon. In addition, condensible volatiles can be mobilized and concentrated by volcanic processes. We have reviewed many of our existing photomicrographs and energy dispersive analysis (EDXA) of grain surfaces and have reexamined some of our older SEM mounts using an improved EDXA system capable of light-element detection and analysis (oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon). The results from these investigations are presented.

Mckay, David S.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Selected Apollo 17 soils - Mineralogy and geochemistry of opaque and non-opaque phases

Soil samples 74220 ('orange soil'), 74241 and 75081 were sized, and the compositions of the opaque and silicate phases were determined. The ilmenites, particularly in 74241, contain up to 7.8 wt % MgO and display higher bireflectance than low-Mg ilmenites. They commonly contain exsolution-like chromite and rutile and occasionally are in association with native Fe in an assemblage probably resulting from reduction. The chromian ulvospinels are similar to Apollo 11 spinels in that they contain near-equal amounts of chromite and ulvospinel molecules. No primary chromites were observed. Most native Fe has No and Co contents of less than 1 wt %; some in 74220 contained 5-6% Ni and less than 1% Co in association with schreibersite.

Taylor, L. A.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Apollo 17 mission Report. Supplement 6: Calibration results for gamma ray spectrometer sodium iodide crystal

A major difficulty in medium energy gamma-ray remote sensing spectroscopy and astronomy measurements was the high rate of unwanted background resulting from the following major sources: (1) prompt secondary gamma-rays produced by cosmic-ray interactions in satellite materials; (2) direct charged-particle counts; (3) radioactivity induced in the detector materials by cosmic-ray and trapped protons; (4) radioactivity induced in detector materials by the planetary (e.g., earth or moon) albedo neutron flux; (5) radioactivity induced in the detector materials by the interaction of secondary neutrons produced throughout the spacecraft by cosmic-ray and trapped proton interactions; (6) radioactivity induced in spacecraft materials by the mechanisms outlined in 3, 4, and 5; and (7) natural radioactivity in spacecraft and detector materials. The purpose of this experiment was to obtain information on effects 3, 4, and 5, and from this information start developing calculational methods for predicting the background induced in the crystal detector in order to correct the Apollo gamma-ray spectrometer data for this interference.

Dyer, C.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Apollo 17 mission. Lunar roving vehicle/traverse gravimeter experiment motion sensitivity

The results of the lunar roving vehicle/traverse gravimeter experiment motion sensitivity test shows that the gravity measurements in both the normal and bypass modes should not be adversely affected by motion induced in the lunar roving vehicle by operation of the television camera position drive device or the operation of the surface electrical properties receiver/recorder. Motion of the traverse gravimeter experiment occurred when a 1.4-hertz resonant mode in pitch of the pallet was excited. Both of these modes were excited by camera elevation changes with the camera axis positioned fore and aft.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1973

Crater frequency age determinations for the proposed Apollo 17 site at Taurus-Littrow.

On the assumption that the vast majority of craters are of impact origin, relative age dates can be obtained by counting craters. Returned lunar samples are helping to resolve problems regarding the magnitude of the meteoritic flux. The samples provide a means for empirically calibrating crater count data. The characteristics of the Taurus-Littrow area are considered, giving attention to four different units. The crater frequency distribution is discussed, together with its significance for the age of the corresponding lunar features.

Greeley, R.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Lunar volcanism - Age of the glass in the Apollo 17 orange soil.

Glasses on the moon can form either by impact or by volcanic processes. An age determination indicates that the glass of the orange soil formed close in time to the volcanic activity in the Sea of Serenity about 3,750 million years ago. The orange soil was certainly not formed by a recent fumarole. The young exposure age, about 32 million years, found for the glass of the orange soil is in agreement with its fresh appearance on the lunar surface.

Husain, L.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Spectral reflectance of 72275 from Boulder 1, Station 2, Apollo 17

Spectral reflectance measurements were made of samples 72275,103 (chip) and 72275,98 (saw cuttings). Both the chips and the cuttings consist mainly of friable feldspathic breccia. Sample 72275,103, a chip taken from eastend piece 72275,27, is rich in gray polymict breccia. The saw cuttings were derived from the entire rock, but they are probably strongly biased toward the friable feldspathic matrix material that has been preferentially disaggregated. The spectra of both samples show two prominent absorption bands arising from Fe2(+) in pyroxene. The depths of these bands are large enough to preclude the presence of much glass or opaque material in the samples. From the spectral properties alone, it is clear that the samples are not soil breccias nor vitric breccias, as, of course, has been verified by petrography. The wavelengths of the principal absorption bands plot on the pyroxene trend, indicating that orthopyroxene is spectrally dominant.

Adams, J. B.↗