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NASA NTRS1973

Estimates of fluid and energy balances of Apollo 17

Fluid and caloric balance has been calculated for the Apollo 17 crew. This included measurement of nitrogen, water, and caloric value of the ingested food and the volume and nitrogen content of the excreted urine and feces. Body composition changes were determined from total body water and extracellular fluid volume differences. The body composition measurements made it possible to divide the weight loss into lean body mass and adipose tissue losses. From this division a caloric equivalent was calculated. These tissue losses indicated that the caloric requirements of the mission were considerably greater than the actual caloric intake. The 3.3 kilo mean loss of body weight represented 1 kilo of lean body mass and 2.3 kilos of adipose tissue. Calculated fluid balance was more positive during the mission than during the control period. These changes are unlike the body composition and fluid balance changes reported in bedrested subjects.

Johnson, P. C.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Adrenocortical responses of the Apollo 17 crew members

Changes in adrenal activity of the three Apollo 17 crew members were studied during the 12.55-day mission and during selected post-recovery days. Aldosterone excretion was normal early and elevated later in the mission, probably causing a loss in total body exchangeable potassium. There was decreased 17-hydroxycorticosteroid excretion only during the early mission days for the two moon landers and throughout the mission for the other astronaut. Cortisol excretion was elevated on physically stressful mission days. At recovery, plasma ACTH was elevated without a similar increase in plasma cortisol. Angiotensin I activity was elevated at recovery in only one crewman. This crewman was the only one with a decreased extracellular fluid volume. These results indicate that the mission and its activities affect adrenal function of the crewmen.

Leach, C. S.↗
NASA NTRS1974

The dissection and consortium allocation of Apollo 17 lunar rocks from the boulder at station 7

The Apollo 17 astronauts removed four rocks samples to represent each of the lithologies they recognized in the boulder at station 7: sample 77215 from an off-white meter-sized block; sample 77075 from one of the thin dikes that cross the off-white block; 77115 from the blue-gray rock adjacent to the off-white block and apparently continuous with thin dikes that cross the block; sample 77135 of the tan-gray or green-gray vesicular rock adjacent to the blue-gray (77115) rock. A consortium of investigators has been organized to study the samples. Each sample shows a number of lithologic types in terms of clasts (or xenoliths) and matrices. A table shows how subsamples have been allocated for consortium study. Maps and photographs show the relations between subsample locations and lithologies for the two more dissected samples, 77115 and 77135.

Butler, P.↗
NASA NTRS1974

The relationships between geology and soil chemistry at the Apollo 17 landing site

Within the wide compositional range of the Apollo 17 soils, three distinct chemical groups have been recognized, each one corresponding broadly with a major geological and physiographic unit. These groups are: (1) Valley Floor type soils, (2) South Massif type soils, and (3) North Massif type soils. The observed chemical variations within and between these three groups is interpreted by means of mixing models in terms of lateral transport and mixing of prevailing local rock types, such as high-titanium basalts, KREEP-like noritic breccias, anorthositic gabbro breccias and orange glass. According to these models, North Nassif types evolved on the lower slopes of the North Massif and Sculptured Hills where anorthositic gabbro predominates over noritic breccia and where lateral mixing with basalt is effective, whereas the South Massif type soils originally developed on the upper slopes of the South Massif, where anorthositic breccia and noritic breccias are equally abundant, and where lateral mixing with basalt was minimal.

Rhodes, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1982

The lunar regolith - Comparative studies of the Apollo and Luna sites. Petrology of soils from Apollo 17, Luna 16, 20, and 24

A progress report is presented concerning an investigation involving a comprehensive chemical and petrologic study of surface soils from all nine lunar sampling sites. The soils selected for this study are part of the lunar highlands soils suite and represent the soils at each site that contain abundant highland-derived material. The current report takes into consideration, in addition to the eight soils discussed by Labotka et al. (1980) and by Laul and Papike (1980), three Apollo 17 soils (72501, 76501, and 78221), and three Luna soils (21000, L-16; 22001, L-20; and 24999, L-24). Attention is given to the modal petrology of the 1000-90 micrometer fraction of all 14 soils, and the modes and mineral and glass chemistries of the 90-20 and 20-10 micrometer fractions of the Apollo 17 and Luna soils. In an evaluation of the obtained results, it is found that except for rare, large-scale impacts, lateral mixing is an inefficient process. Comminution and vertical mixing appear to be the dominant process.

Simon, S. B.↗
NASA NTRS1986

A potpourri of pristine moon rocks, including a VHK mare basalt and a unique, augite-rich Apollo 17 anorthosite

The anorthosite fragment, 76504,18, the first of the Apollo 17's pristine anorthosites, was found to have: (1) a higher ratio of high-Ca pyroxine to low-Ca pyroxene, (2) higher Na in its plagioclase, (3) higher contents of incompatible elements, and (4) a higher Eu/Al ratio in comparison to ferroan anorthosites. With a parent melt having a negative Eu anomaly, 76504,18 closely resembles a typical mare basalt. This anorthosite was among the latest to be formed by plagioclase flotation above a primordial magmasphere; typical mare basalt regions accumulated at about the same time or even earlier. Another fragment 14181c, a very high potassium basalt, was studied and found to be similar to typical Apollo 14 mare basalt though it has a K/La ratio of 1050. It is suggested that this lithology formed after a normal Apollo 14 mare basaltic melt partially assimilated granite. New data for siderphile elements in Apollo 12 mare basalts indicate that only the lowest of earlier data are trustworthy as being free of laboratory contamination.

Warren, P. H.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Laboratory Measurements of Charging of Apollo 17 Lunar Dust Grains by Low Energy Electrons

It is well recognized that the charging properties of individual micron/sub-micron size dust grains by various processes are expected to be substantially different from the currently available measurements made on bulk materials. Solar UV radiation and the solar wind plasma charge micron size dust grains on the lunar surface with virtually no atmosphere. The electrostatically charged dust grains are believed to be levitated and transported long distances over the lunar terminator from the day to the night side. The current models do not fully explain the lunar dust phenomena and laboratory measurements are needed to experimentally determine the charging properties of lunar dust grains. An experimental facility has been developed in the Dusty Plasma Laboratory at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center MSFC for investigating the charging properties of individual micron/sub-micron size positively or negatively charged dust grains by levitating them in an electrodynamic balance in simulated space environments. In this paper, we present laboratory measurements on charging of Apollo 17 individual lunar dust grains by low energy electron beams in the 5-100 eV energy range. The measurements are made by levitating Apollo 17 dust grains of 0.2 to 10 micrometer diameters, in an electrodynamic balance and exposing them to mono-energetic electron beams. The charging rates and the equilibrium potentials produced by direct electron impact and by secondary electron emission processes are discussed.

Abbas, Mian M.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Apollo 17 mission 5-day report

A five day report of the Apollo 17 mission is presented. The subjects discussed are: (1) sequence of events, (2) extravehicular activities, (3) first, second, and third lunar surface extravehicular activity, (4) transearth extravehicular activity, (5) lunar surface experiments conducted, (6) orbital science activities, (7) spacecraft reentry and recovery.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1976

Thorium and uranium variations in Apollo 17 basalts, and K-U systematics

It is found that Apollo 11 low-K and in particular Apollo 17 mare basalts show a wide range of Th/U ratios unlike other rocks; such variations cannot be explained by near surface crystal fractionation. A two-stage fractional crystallization-partial melting model involving a clinopyroxene cumulate as the major phase can explain the variations in Th/U ratios. Due to the Sm-Nd systematics constraint, several source cumulates are invoked to explain the observed Th/U continuum.

Laul, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS2021

Hydroxylation of Apollo 17 Soil Sample 78421 by Solar Wind Protons

Hydroxylation by solar wind protons has been simulated in our laboratory on Apollo 17 lunar sample 78421, a very mature regolith sample that is rich with agglutinates (68%). The goal of this study was to determine the rate of hydroxyl formation and their thermal stability by monitoring changes in the SiOH (hydroxyl) stretching band near 3 μm using diffuse reflectance FTIR spectroscopy (DRIFTS). A 2 keV H2+ ion beam was used to simulate proton implantation on 78421 and on a crushed fused silica sample. We find that the OH band does not change unless the samples have been annealed in vacuum prior to irradiation. Qualitatively, the OH bands for the fused silica and 78421 are very different. The OH band for fused silica is centered at 2.74 μm and is relatively sharp ranging from 2.67 - 3.1 μm at full-width-at-half-maximum (FWHM), while the OH band for 78421 is centered at 3.0 μm and ranges from 2.74 - 3.37 μm at FWHM. The increase in wavelength and broadened nature of the OH band in 78421 may be associated with the OH’s proximity to surface defects and/or lattice vacancies. The lack of the H2O bending mode at 6.1 μm indicates that any adsorbed terrestrial H2O is below our detection limit, and therefore the H2O stretching mode at 2.9 μm is not significantly contributing to the broad 3 μm OH band and implies that proton implantation by itself does not lead to water formation. To simulate the maximum dayside temperature on the lunar surface, the lunar sample was heated after proton irradiation. The proton induced OH concentration was reduced by as much as 25% after heating to 400 K (127 °C).

Apollo 17↗
NASA NTRS1975

The source of sublimates on the Apollo 15 green and Apollo 17 orange glass samples

Elemental analyses of the thin film of micromounds which coat the surfaces of Apollo 15 green glass and Apollo 17 orange glass are reported. It is thought that Zn, Ga, Pb, Cu, Tl, S, F, and Cl condensed as a sublimate on the outside surface of these glass particles in lava fountains about 3.4 and 3.6 b.y. ago (Apollos 15 and 17, respectively). The heavy metals enriched in these samples may have been mobilized in a halide- and sulfide-rich vapor, while the source of these elements and of the glass may be a sulfide- and halide-rich pyroxenite inside the moon. The isotopic composition of lead on the surface of individual particles was determined, and the composition is considered with respect to the evolution of the source region. The lead on the surfaces is similar to lead that has been mixed into other soils and breccias at nearby sites.

Meyer, C., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Microcrater populations on Apollo 17 rocks

Approximately 6000 microcraters were investigated using binocular microscope techniques on Apollo 17 rocks 70215, 72215, 72235, 72395, 72435, 73216, 73218, 73275, 74275, 76135, 76136, and 79155. The crater populations observed have identical characteristics to those obtained from previous missions. Special emphasis was placed on assessing the influence of target properties on the observable crater populations. Although these properties cannot be quantitatively evaluated at present, the empirical results indicate that crater populations on glass, breccia, and crystalline rock surfaces may differ fundamentally. As a consequence, lunar surface exposure ages of individual rocks based on micrometeoroid craters may be subject to criticism.

Schneider, E.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Apollo 17 1-2 mm fines - Mineralogy and petrology

Nine 1-2 mm Apollo 17 soil samples from the South Massif and the Sculptured Hills are examined using petrographic and microprobe techniques. Each soil was separated into six groupings based on macroscopic features observed under a stereomicroscope. The groups and their characteristics are described. Minor differences observed include a higher content of fine-grained, dark, friable breccia and a higher content of high-Mg mafic-bearing fragments in the Sculptured Hills soils. The olivine and pyroxene compositions for light breccia from the soil samples are summarized. During the soil examination, several distinctive fragments seen include coarse orthopyroxene-plagioclase fragments with diopside-rich veins, a plagioclase-forsterite fragment with an igneous texture and a pyroxene-plagioclase fragment with isotropic, subhedral plagioclase grains.

Steele, I. M.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Heavy element affinities in Apollo 17 samples

Pb-204, Bi, Tl, and Zn in samples from the Apollo 17 site exhibit relationships not found in samples from other sites. Pb-204, Tl, and Zn in residues remaining after dilute acid leaching are correlated with one another. Orange soil 74220, which is enriched in Pb-204, Tl, and Zn, is included in these relationships. In addition, the submicron metallic phase generally associated with agglutinate formation is correlated with all three of these elements; this relationship has already been reported for Pb-204 in other samples. Thus, orange soil and agglutinates appear to be involved in concentrating heavy volatile metals. A process other than mixing is required to account for this. As a consequence of the isolation of the landing site by the surrounding massifs, local supply and recycling of volatile trace elements in soils may account for some of the interelement relations.

Allen, R. O., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Apollo 17 far-ultraviolet spectra in the Large Magellanic Cloud

During the Apollo 17 mission, low-resolution far-ultraviolet spectra were obtained for two parts of the Large Magellanic Cloud. The spectra are reasonably well fit by a model of a 30,000-K star reddened by a (B-V) color excess of 0.3 magnitude, but other combinations of temperature and reddening provide equally good fits.

Henry, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Lithologies contributing to the clast population in Apollo 17 LKFM basaltic impact melts

LKFM basaltic impact melts are abundant among Apollo lunar samples, especially those from Apollo 15, 16, and 17. They are generally basaltic in composition, but are found exclusively as impact melts. They seem to be related to basins and so could represent the composition of the lower lunar crust. They contain lithic clasts that cannot be mixed in any proportion to produce the composition of the melt matrix; components rich in transition elements (Ti, Cr, Sc) and REE are not considered. To search for the mysterious cryptic component, we previously investigated the mineral clast population in two Apollo 14 LKFM basaltic impact melts, 15445 and 15455. The cryptic component was not present in the mineral clast assemblage of these breccias either, but some olivine and pyroxene grains appeared to be from lithologies not represented among identified igneous rocks from the lunar highlands. In addition, none of the mineral clasts could be unambiguously assigned to a ferroan anorthosite source. We have now extended this study to Apollo 17, starting with two LKFM impact melt breccias (76295 and 76315) from the Apollo 17 station 6 boulder. The results from the study are presented.

Norman, Marc D.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Apollo 17 KREEPy basalt - A rock type intermediate between mare and KREEP basalts

The Apollo 17 KREEPy basalt is a unique lunar volcanic rock, observed only as clasts in the light friable breccia matrix (72275) of Boulder 1, Station 2 at Taurus-Littrow. Its status as a volcanic rock is confirmed by the absence of any meteoritic contamination, a lack of cognate inclusions or xenocrystal material, and low Ni contents in metal grains. The basalt was extruded 4.01 + or - 0.04 b.y. ago, approximately contemporaneously with the high-alumina mare basalts at Fra Mauro; shortly afterwards it was disrupted, probably by the Serenitatis impact, and its fragments emplaced in the South Massif. The basalt, which is quartz-normative and aluminous, is chemically and mineralogically intermediate between the Apollo 15 KREEP basalts and the high-alumina mare basalts in most respects. It consists mainly of plagioclase and pigeonitic pyroxene in approximately equal amounts, and 10-30% of mesostatis.

Ryder, G.↗