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NASA NTRS1971

Mixing models and the recognition of end-member groups in Apollo 11 and 12 soils.

Lunar soils returned from the Apollo 11 and 12 sites appear to consist of more than one source material. Investigators have suggested that the soil can be described by as few as two end members and possibly as many as five or six. In the present study Q-mode factor analysis is used to establish the end members more rigorously and suggests that major-element chemistry of Apollo 11 and 12 lunar soils can be adequately explained in terms of a three-component mixing system. The end members isolated by Q-mode factor analysis can be regarded as basaltic, anorthositic, and noritic (or KREEP) components. Three-component mixing models fitted by least squares to the eight major oxides indicate that six of the Apollo 12 soils investigated are dominated by the basaltic component, whereas the other five are dominated by the noritic or KREEP component. Anorthosite is present in all soils except sample 12033, which is a simple two-component mixture of basalt and KREEP. The Apollo 11 soil is also a three-component mixture but is more basaltic than the Apollo 12 soils. Anorthositic and KREEP materials are important components of the lunar lithosphere and may be distributed on the lunar surface areally in an independent manner.

Lindsay, J. F.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Apollo 15 geochemical X-ray fluorescence experiment - Preliminary report.

Although only part of the information from the X-ray fluorescence geochemical experiment has been analyzed, it is clear that the experiment was highly successful. Significant compositional differences among and possibly within the maria and highlands have been detected. When viewed in the light of analyzed lunar rocks and soil samples, and the data from other lunar orbital experiments (in particular, the Apollo 15 gamma-ray spectroscopy experiment), the results indicate the existence of a differential lunar highland crust, probably feldspathic. This crust appears to be related to the plagioclase-rich materials previously found in the samples from Apollo 11, Apollo 12, Apollo 14, Apollo 15, and Luna 16.

Adler, I.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Major impacts on the moon - Characterization from trace elements in Apollo 12 and 14 samples.

Seventeen trace elements have been determined by neutron activation analysis in 33 lunar samples from Apollo 14, 5 from Apollo 12, and 2 from Luna 16. Apollo 14 soils and breccias contain at least two, and possibly three, ancient meteoritic components of unusual composition, probably derived from the Imbrian and Serenitatis impacts, and mixed planetesimal debris from the pre-Imbrian regolith. These components have a lower ratio of volatiles to siderophiles than any known class of chondrites. They also have Ir/Au, Ge/Au ratios outside the range for most iron meteorites, except groups IVA and possibly IIIA. One of these components, of very low Ir/Au, Re/Au ratio, occurs in light norites, 14321 microbreccias, and KREEP separates from 12033 soil. Another is found in dark norites, glasses, and several other Apollo 14 samples, as well as rock 12013 and Apollo 11 anorthosite. From these compositional clues it appears that the Imbrian body and the pre-Imbrian planetesimals, like the earth, were relatively rich in iron, but depleted in volatiles. Such a composition is consistent with the Imbrian body originating as an earth-crossing planetesimal.

Morgan, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Core sample depth relationships - Apollo 14 and 15.

The depth relationships for the Apollo 14 and 15 core tubes and the Apollo 15 drill core are presented, as determined from laboratory simulation studies. Sample at a depth of 40 cm in the Apollo 14 double core tube (virtually the same as the Apollo 12 tubes) represents material from a depth of approximately 58 cm in the lunar surface. The new design of the Apollo 15 core tube results in much less sample disturbance and the depth relationship is practically one-to-one, with sample recovery approaching 100%. The depth relationship for the drill core is also probably close to one-to-one, and its recovery ratio was also 100%.

Carrier, W. D., III↗
NASA NTRS1973

Total carbon contents of Apollo 15 and 16 lunar samples

The total carbon contents in Apollo 15 fines range from 29 to 170 micrograms/g. Fines from Apollo 16 range from 65 to 280 micrograms/g. These samples are similar to those from Apollo 11, 12, and 14, with dark colored fines generally containing more carbon than lighter fines. Sample 61221 (light colored fines) is anomalously high with 100 micrograms/g total carbon. Correlations between total carbon content and sample collection station for each mission are evident. Basalts from Apollo 15 have less than 27 micrograms/g total carbon. Anorthositic rocks from Apollo 15 and 16 have less than 20 micrograms/g total carbon. Breccias show complex and variable carbon distributions.

Moore, C. B.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Ar-40/Ar-36 variations in Apollo 15 and 16 regolith

Values of Ar-40/Ar-36 have been determined for a large number of Apollo 15 and Apollo 16 fines, including samples from a range of depths in the Apollo 15 and 16 deep drill cores. Most of the Ar-40 in these samples is 'excess Ar-40' in that it has not been produced by in situ decay of K. Values of Ar-40/Ar-36 range from 0.74 to 4.35 and demonstrate that the regolith is not well mixed over depths of several cm or over surface distances greater than about 100 m. However, fines collected over surface distances of less than a few tens of meters tend to possess similar ratios. Values of Ar-40/Ar-36 in the Apollo 15 drill core increase with depth by nearly a factor of four (0.74 to 2.86) in the 0 to 80 cm depth range, then decrease for greater depths. Values of Ar-40/Ar-36 in the Apollo 16 drill core are nearly constant at about 1.3, except for the deepest sample analyzed (about 2.7). Concentrations of glass-bonded agglutinate particles in the fines tend to correlate with lower Ar-40/Ar-36, and may indicate that dynamic regolith processes also affect the trapped Ar-40/Ar-36.

Bogard, D. D.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Radioactivities vs. depth in Apollo 16 and 17 soil

The radioactivities of Ar-37, Ar-39, and H-3 measured at a number of depths for Apollo 16 and 17 soil are reported. The Ar-37 activities vs depth in the Apollo 16 drill string increased with depth and reached a broad maximum in the neighborhood of 50 g per sq cm before decreasing. The Ar-39 activities in Apollo 17 soil were higher than in Apollo 16 soil, probably owing to the higher Fe and Ti contents. The H-3 activities in Apollo 16 and 17 soil were quite similar and indicate that the 4 August 1972 flare produced very little H-3 compared to the amount produced by solar flares during the previous 50 years.

Fireman, E. L.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Apollo 14 visibility tests: Visibility of lunar surface features and lunar landing

An in-flight visibility test conducted on the Apollo 14 mission is discussed. The need for obtaining experimental data on lunar feature visibility arose from visibility problems associated with various aspects of the Apollo missions; and especially from anticipated difficulties of recognizing lunar surface features at the time of descent and landing under certain illumination conditions. Although visibility problems have influenced many other aspects of the Apollo mission, they have been particularly important for descent operations, due to the criticality of this mission phase and the crew's guidance and control role for landing site recognition and touchdown point selection. A series of analytical and photographic studies were conducted during the Apollo program (prior to as well as after the initial manned lunar operations) to delineate constraints imposed on landing operations by visibility limitations. The purpose of the visibility test conducted on Apollo 14 was to obtain data to reduce uncertainties and to extend the analytical models of visibility in the lunar environment.

Ziedman, K.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Chemical studies of Apollo 16 and 17 samples

Instrumental neutron activation analyses were conducted to nine Apollo 16 samples and 23 Apollo 17 samples. Radiochemical neutron activation analyses were carried out in the case of six Apollo 16 boulder-2 rocks, five Apollo 17 soils, and one Apollo 16 soil. The elemental abundances obtained are presented in tables and the significance of the analytical results is discussed. Attention is also given to interelement correlations.

Laul, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Lunar cartography with the Apollo 17 ALSE radar imagery

Lunar position differences between thirteen craters in Mare Serenitatis were computed from VHF radar-imagery obtained by the Lunar Sounder instrument flown on the Apollo 17 command module. The radar-derived position differences agree with those obtained by conventional photogrammetric reductions of Apollo metric photography. This demonstrates the feasibility of using the Apollo Lunar Sounder data to determine the positions of lunar features along the Apollo 17 orbital tracks. This will be particularly useful for western limb and farside areas, where no Apollo metric camera pictures are available.

Tiernan, M.↗
NASA NTRS1970

Apollo 12 Mission Report

The Apollo 12 mission was the twelfth in a series of flights using Apollo flight hardware and was the second lunar landing. The purpose of the mission was to perform a precise lunar landing and to conduct a specific scientific exploration of a designated landing site in the Ocean of Storms. Since the performance of the entire spacecraft was excellent, this report discusses only the systems performance that significantly differed from that of previous missions. Because they were unique to Apollo 12, the lunar surface experiments, the precision landing operation, and lunar dust contamination are reported in sections 3, 4, and 6, respectively. A complete analysis of all flight data is not possible within the time allowed for preparation of this report. Therefore, report supple­ments will be published for certain Apollo 12 systems analyses, as shown in appendix E. This appendix also lists the current status of all Apollo mission supplements, either published or in preparation. Other supplements will be published as the need is identified. In this report, all actual times prior to earth landing are elapsed time from range zero, established as the integral second before lift-off. Range zero for this mission was 16:22:00 G.m.t., November 14, 1969. Greenwich mean time is used for all times after earth landing as well as for the discussions of the experiments left on the lunar surface. All references to mileage distance are in nautical miles.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1977

Apollo 17 ropy glasses

Ropy glasses are a major soil component in the Apollo 17 gray soils 74240 and 74260. These particles form a distinct morphological type characterized by a wide range of dynamic shapes with a diagnostic sorted and welded fine-grained debris coating. Apollo 17 ropy glasses show abundant evidence for shock. Shocked lithic and mineral inclusions, lack of any igneous textures, and lechatelierite, all indicate an impact origin. A striking similarity is observed between the lunar ropy glasses and the glass impact bombs (Flaedle) of the Ries Crater in Germany. A highland basaltic composition was observed for the Apollo 17 ropy glasses in contrast to the KREEP composition of ropy glasses from the Apollo 12 and Apollo 14 landing sites. Other workers have presented convincing evidence that ejecta from Tycho reached the Taurus-Littrow Valley, and these ropy glasses may represent Tycho ejecta. However, the close stratigraphic association of the ropy glasses with the greater than 3.5 b.y. old orange glass suggests the ropy glasses may be too old to be Tycho ejecta, which should be only about 100 m.y. old. If this is the case, the ropy glasses represent impact glasses from a very old impact in an unknown highlands source area.

Fruland, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Noble gas studies on grain size separates of Apollo 15 and 16 deep drill cores

A description is presented of noble gas analyses of grain-size separates of eight Apollo 15 drill-core samples over the depth range 2-80 cm. Noble gas data on grain-size separates of seven Apollo 16 drill-core samples are also reported. On the basis of the obtained results it is suggested that cosmogenic Ne and He in the Apollo 15 core material has been preferentially lost relative to cosmogenic Ar in the Apollo 15 core material in proportion to soil maturity and degree of solar irradiation. A plot of He-4/Ne-20 against Ar-40/Ar-36 demonstrates that material in the lowest 35 cm of the Apollo 16 drill core is distinct from all other analyzed samples in the core, and distinct from nearly all surface soils.

Bogard, D. D.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Multispectral mapping of the Apollo 15-Apennine region - The identification and distribution of regional pyroclastic deposits

Multispectral mapping of the Apollo 15-Apennine region has allowed the identification of numerous dark mantle deposits of probable pyroclastic origin. The deposits display a low albedo, appear to mantle and slightly subdue subjacent terrain, are spectrally distinct on the multispectral maps (high in the infrared but low in the ultraviolet) and generally exhibit a weak depolarized 3.8 cm radar echo. These characteristics are consistent with an origin by pyroclastic eruption. The regional dark mantle deposits are commonly associated with vents along marginal fractures and faults near the base of the Apennines, thereby emphasizing the role of basin-controlled weaknesses in providing channels for the upward migration of magma generated at depth. The spectral properties of the pyroclastic deposits are incompatible with those of Apollo 15 green glass but the deposits may be composed of material similar to the Apollo 15 brown or yellow glass. If so, the widespread distribution of the deposits suggest that mare basalts genetically related to the brown or yellow glass may occur in the Apollo 15 region. Moreover, pyroclastic volcanic activity has apparently been a more important and widespread process in the Apollo 15-Apennine region than has previously been thought.

Hawke, B. R.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Apollo 16 regolith breccias - Characterization and evidence for early formation in mega-regolith

The Apollo 16 regolith breccias were characterized in terms of petrography, grain-size distribution, porosity, major and trace element composition, noble gas contents, and ferromagnetic resonance properties. Significant variation was found with respect to density and porosity; the more dense breccias displayed substantial shock damage. The breccias resembled the soils in grain-size distribution and in petrological components, though many were found to be compositionally different from the Apollo 16 soils in that a mafic component was lacking. Nearly all breccias showed evidence of irradiation at the lunar surface, and analyses of disaggregated breccias indicated that this irradiation occurred before compaction. The concentration of surface irradiation parameters were far less than those of lunar soils or breccias of other Apollo missions. Observations with respect to the argon isotope ratio and Xe presence have led to the possibility that breccia-surface irradiation occurred as early as four billion years ago, and that most Apollo 16 regolith breccias were not formed from any known Apollo 16 soil.

Mckay, D. S.↗
NASA NTRS1987

The nature of the meteoritic components of Apollo 16 soil, as inferred from correlations of iron, cobalt, iridium, and gold with nickel

The Apollo 16 soil concentrations of Ni, Fe, Co, Ir, and Au were studied to determine the correlations with Ni. The correlations obtained indicate that the variation in the siderophile element concentrations in Apollo 16 soils result from the variation in the concentration of a Fe-Ni metal (with the mean composition of 5.6 pct Ni and 0.36 pct Co) that contributes about 0.4-0.5 pct to a typical soil from Apollo 16. It is shown that the siderophile elements of the 'ancient meteorite component' of Anders et al. (1973) and Hertogen et al. (1977) are located in the grains of Fe-Ni metal that in turn are contained in noritic impact melt breccias produced about 3.9 Ga ago. The ancient Fe-Ni is different from the metal of ordinary chondrites by having lower Ni/Co, Ir/Ni, and Ir/Au ratios. It is shown that Ni in the Apollo 16 soil is contributed approximately equally by the 'ancient meteorite component' and the 'micrometeorite component' (dominated by carbonaceous chondrites); however, most of the variation in Ni concentration results from the variation of the ancient Fe-Ni metal among samples of Apollo 16 soil.

Korotev, Randy L.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Cobalt and nickel concentrations in the 'komatiite component' of Apollo 16 polymict samples

Some estimates for the concentrations of Co and Ni in the primitive mafic component of Apollo 16 breccias and soils are large, comparable to concentrations in terrestrial komatiites. These estimates may be erroneously high because the contribution from meteoritic contamination of the samples has been underestimated. However, even if the correction for meteoritic Co and Ni is valid and the calculated residual Ni is not of meteoritic origin, the Ni is presently carried by Fe-Ni metal while the Fe and Mg are carried by mafic silicates. If any large-scale separation of metal and silicate phases has occurred, the concentration ratio of Ni to Fe + Mg in the mafic silicates of the ancient crust in the vicinity of the Apollo 16 site has not been preserved by Apollo 16 rocks. Apollo 16 polymict breccias and soils contain much higher concentrations of siderophile elements and Fe-Ni metal than other nonmare samples from the Moon. Thus, it is likely that the Ni/(Mg + Fe) ratio estimated for the komatiite component from Apollo 16 samples is high compared to the actual ratio for the lunar crust.

Korotev, Randy L.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Apollo 14 glasses and the origin of lunar soils

Electron microprobe for comparison with soil glass data were used to analyze homogeneous and heterogeneous glass clasts in four Apollo 14 regolith breccias (14042, 14301, 14313, and 14315). Glass types in the Apollo 14 samples were found to be dominated by highland compositions, which include KREEP, LKFM and highland basalt varieties. Only 14042 has a highland glass population similar to those of local Apollo 14 soils. Breccia 14301 stands out in that it is enriched in KREEP glasses with high K2O content, which are similar in composition to Apollo 12 ropy glasses. Only 14042 could be made from local present-day soils. Some of the ancient soils did not undergo breccia formation and closure, and they evolved by meteorite impact processing, by mixing together in various proportions, and by changes made by the addition of lithic fragments and other components. It is suggested that the Apollo 14 soils are made from mixtures of comminuted regolith breccias. A likely age sequence is presented.

Wentworth, S. J.↗