Mineralogy, petrology, and surface features of some Apollo 11 samples
Apollo 11 lunar soil volcanic rock samples, mineralogical and petrological description and surface features
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Apollo 11 lunar soil volcanic rock samples, mineralogical and petrological description and surface features
Apollo 11 lunar rock fluorapatite and trace minerals, examining pressure and oxidizing conditions of formation, grain and crystallization
Apollo 11 lunar rock samples alpha particle activity in polished thin sections, using audioradiography and electron microprobe
Apollo 11 fines gas evolution and physical changes via heat treatment, discussing Ar 40 anomaly, lava structure origin and oxidation rate
Apollo 11 lunar soil irradiation history from solar wind rare gas abundances and cosmic ray spallation products
Apollo 11 lunar rocks oxygen isotope ratios, examining relationship to terrestrial basalts
Apollo 11 lunar fines, investigating solar radiation effects on optical properties by standing and heating
Apollo 11 lunar dust, breccia and igneous rocks, using Mossbauer spectroscopy and petrographic techniques
The Apollo 11 service module and the command module (CM) reaction control system performed satisfactorily throughout the mission. Two anomalies which occurred were an inadvertent isolation valve closure during command and service module/Saturn S4B/lunar module separation and a failure of a CM thruster to respond to automatic commands. The isolation valves were later opened by the crew and remained open during the remainder of the mission. The cause of the closure was determined to be the shock loads generated during separation. The CM engine malfunction was caused by a faulty terminal board connector. All system parameters were normal during the mission, and all mission requirements were satisfied.
Apollo 11 and 12 lunar soil samples common contaminant identified as diisopropyl disulfide, using chromatograph mass spectrometer
The Group A basalts of Apollo 11 differ in many respects from other high-Ti basalts of the region. Chemically, they are the only high-K (greater than 2000 ppm K) variety of high-Ti basalt and are enriched in incompatible trace elements relative to other basalts from both the Apollo 11 and Apollo 17 sites. In addition, Group A basalts are the youngest of all high-Ti basalts, with an age of 3.56 +/- 0.02 Ga. The cluster of compositions is consistent with the Apollo 11 Group A basalts representing a single flow. Papanastassiou et al. have also indicated the uniqueness of these basalts, based particularly on relatively young Rb-Sr model ages (3.8 - 3.9 Ga). A model for the formation of the Group A basalts was presented by Jerde et al., wherein the Apollo 17 orange volcanic glass is the parent liquid. Fractionation of this composition, coupled with the assimilation of incompatible-element-rich material, results in compositions akin to those of the Apollo 11 Group A basalt population. Orange glass of similar major-element composition is present at the Apollo 11 site as well, although complete trace element analyses are not available. New modelling results using the Apollo 11 orange glass major elements are grossly similar to those obtained using the Apollo 17 orange glass, indicating approximately 30 percent fractionation.
The Apollo 11 and 17 landing sites are characterized by the presence of high-Ti basalts (TiO2 greater than 6 percent). The Group A basalts of Apollo 11 have elevated K compositions (greater than 2000 ppm); and are enriched in incompatible trace elements relative to the other types of high-Ti basalt found in the region. These unique basalts also are the youngest of all high-Ti basalts, with an age of 3.56 +/- 0.02 Ga. Recent modelling of the Apollo 11 Group A basalts by Jerde et al. has demonstrated that this unique variety of high-Ti basalt may have formed through fractionation of a liquid with the composition of the Apollo 11 orange glass, coupled with assimilation of evolved material (dubbed neuKREEP and having similarities to lunar quartz monzodiorite). Assimilation of this material would impart its REE signature on the liquid, resulting in the elevated REE abundances observed. Minerals such as whitlockite which contain a large portion of the REE budget can be expected to reflect the REE characteristics of the assimilant. To this end, an examination of the whitlockite present in the Apollo 11 Group A basalts was undertaken to search for evidence of the neuKREEP material assimilated.
Apollo 11 mission crew observation of operational and scientific phenomena associated with lunar landings, discussing preflight geologic training and briefings
Apollo 11 mafic crystalline rocks and mineral assemblages, discussing collection, classification and sample environments
Apollo 11 lunar rock and fines chemistry, mineralogy and petrology, discussing composition, igneous rocks, microbreccias, glasses and pyroxene relations
Apollo 11 lunar rocks, breccias, dust and chip mineralogy and petrology, examining composition, texture, grain size and morphologies
Apollo 11 lunar soil and breccia shock metamorphism, examining plastic deformation structures in plagioclase, pyroxene and olivine