Apollo 17 is located at a mare/highland boundary where the surface shows significant compositional heterogeneities. The composition of surface materials is estimated by analyzing their spectral/chemical correlations. Based on this spectral/chemical analysis, the chemical and normative mineralogical composition of two highland units and three mare units has been estimated

Jaumann, R.

Neukum, G.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

20 Geology of the Apollo 17 Landing Site
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THE APOLLO 17 REGION: A COMPOSITIONAL OVER-
VIEW. R. Jaurnann and G. Neukum, DLR, Institute for Planetary
Exploration, Berlin/Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany.
- -Apollo 17 is located at a marejldghland boundary where the
surfaceshows significantcompositionalheterogeneities.The compo-
sitionof surfacematerialsisestimatedby analyzingtheirspecu'a]/
chemical correlations.Based on thisspeclzaYchcmicalmalysisthe
chemical and normative mineralogicalcompositionof two highland
units and three marc units has been estimated.._ _,i _
Introduction: The putlx_e of this investigation is to use spec-
ial/chemical studies in order to determine the composition ofApollo
17 geologic units. The Imding site itself and its surroundings are
expected to expose different geologic settings ranging from basaltic
materials over highland components to pyroclesfic deposits [1-3].
Thus, Apollo 17 is an ideal place to study the mechanisms of mare
volcanism, interaction of mare and highland materials, and pyroclas-
tic activities. However, the understanding of such processes requires
detailed knowledge ,,bout the chemical and mineralogical composi-
tion of the geologic units studied. Although the composition of the
Apollo 17 landing site is known from the analysis of returned samples,
TABLE 1. Chemical composition of the materials exposed at
the local surface points (Fig. 1).
Location FcO TiO 2 Al203 MgO
Apl7 16.8 7.9 12.9 11.0
Apl7 CL) 16.8 8.3 11.8 10.1
T5 19.8 8.9 9.8 8.8
S2 17.1 4.8 10.6 10.7
$3 17.1 7.4 11.7 11.0
$4 16.7 6.3 11.5 11.5
V2 11.2 1.0 20.6 6.3
L1 14.1 2.1 15.0 9.6
L2 14.0 2.2 14.2 11.2
o <1.7 <2.0 <2.5 <2.0
Apl7 (L) smmnarizes the results of the chemical mslysis of Apollo 17 s_ml_eS.
All ocher dam ale de6ved from the __cll amdysis of mnote seined
meamrements.'lhe dinmsion is wt% and the error (o) indicates m upper limit for
sccurscy of the malysis.
only little compositional information can be provided from direct
sample studies for the surrounding areas of this complex geologic
structure. So far, data of the ApoUo 17 Geochemical Orbiter Experi-
ments provide information on the concenlration of Fe, Ti, and
radioactive elements as well as on AI/Si and Mg/Si concentration
ratios[4,5].Thisinformation,however, isrestrictedto low ground
resolutions,which arenotsufficientfordetailedmineralogicalanaly-
ses.On the other hand, when we consider s'pecux_?_ic measure-
ments of the Apollo 17 area and combine these measurements with the
spectral/chemical correlations of Apollo 17 samples, it is feasible to
establish a compositional analysis of the Apollo 17 srea that is
calibrated to the spectral/chemical evidence of the Apollo 17 landing
site [6].
Compositional Studies: Compositional information can be de-
rived from an analysis of the spectral/chemical correlations of lunar
surface materials. For this purpose the spectral variations of lunar
samples are identified snd compared with the variations of the
concenlzation of chemical constituents [6]. Such a sample-based
analysis provides parameters that can be used to interpret the speclrel
variations in remotely sensed spec_oscopic dam. By applying the
technique to Apollo 17 soil samples, the eonomlration of some
chemical key elements like Fe, Ti, Al, and Mg can be estimated from
speclaal measurements. When the technique is Ir_ to remotely
TABLE 2. Normative mineralogical composition of the materiels
exposed at the local surface points (Fig. 1).
Location Ol Px PI I1
Apl7 13.8 34.1 36.5 15.6
T5 3.8 49.6 27.3 19.2
$2 8.4 50.1 30.0 11.4
$3 10.0 41.5 33.3 15.2
$4 11.2 43.1 32.5 13.2
V2 15.2 19.0 61.3 4.4
L1 13.6 35.4 44.3 6.6
1.2 15.9 37.3 41.3 5.6
o <1.5 <2.0 <1.5 <2.0
The dimem/on is wt% and the error (o) indicates an upper limit for the s0curacy
of the malysis. OI = olivine, Px = pymxene. PI = plagiodue. [l = ikamite.
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19930009607 2020-03-17T07:49:30+00:00Z
LPI Technical Report 92-09, Part I 21
sensed spectral data the accuracy is within 10% compared with the
result of the chemical analysis of Apollo 17 samples (Table 1) or the
results of the Apollo 17 Geochemical Orbiter Experiments [6].
Normative mineralogical information (Table 2) can be derived by
comparing the calculated chemical concentrations with the concentra-
lion of Apollo 17 normative minerals (mineral phases of samples
74255 and 72395 [7]) [8]. Based on this approach the composition of
the Apollo 17 surrounding areas can be determined relative to the
ground-truth of the Apollo 17 landing site. The database consists of
spectnd/chemical parameters derived from the analysis of Apollo 17
soil samples, which transform spectral measurements into composi-
tionally interpretable information, and of telescopic spectra obtained
in the visible and infrared wavelength range [6,8]. The visible toncar-
infrared spectra (0.35-1.0 psn) are taken by using a CCD camera
covering a regionally extended area, whereas the infrared spectra
(0.7-2.5 tan) are taken at local surface points (Fig. 1) by using a CVF
spectrometer. The ground resolution of the spectral measurements is
1-2 kin. When the characteristics of spectra taken at the local surface
points (Fig. 1) are used as end members, the distribution of ccnnpo-
sitional units can be estimated from the arcally extended CCD
spectral measurements.
Geological Interpretation: The geological interpretation of
surface units is based on the chemical (Table 1) and mineralogical
(Table 2) results, as well as on photogeological studies. Due to this
interpretation, five geological units are identified (Fig. 1).
(1) Anorthositic highland materials (a) constitute an Al-rich unit
that has an Fe/A1 ratio < 0.6 and is characterized by its high content
of plagioclase. The anorthositic highland materials are defined spec-
trally and chemically at the surface point V2 (Fig. 1). The unit is
distributed in the form of smallpatches north and south of Apollo 17.
Photogeological studies [1] indicate a pre-Nectarian age. (2) Marie
highland materials (n) are relatively Al-rich, but with an Fe/AI
ratio ==1and a significant pyroxene component indicating the marie
characteristics of the unit. In terms of highland rocks these materials
are comparable with gabbros (norites). The spectnd/chemical refer-
ence for this unit is det'med at the surface points L1 and L2 (Fig. 1).
22,7 _/
47,_N
Lt.I
I !
,400 kr_
LI.I
E'×plenahon
D
dm
Fig. 1. Geologic mgp of the Apollo 17 area. (X) indicates the position of
local surfaoe points. For detailed descri_on of the units see text.
The marie materials dominate the highlands surrounding Apollo 17.
The age is assumed to be pre-Nectarian to Neetarian. The mare units
of the Apollo 17 region are attributed to the Imbrian system [1,2]. In
general, basalts are classified by their titanium content. Based on the
TiO 2 concentrations normal mare basalts (TiO 2 < 5 wt%) can be
distinguished from titanium basalts (TiO 2 > 5 wt%). (3) The spectral/
chemical characteristics of a typical mare basalt (mb) as exposed at
the surface point $2 (Fig. 1) can be compared with the characteristics
of a pigeonite basalt defined by a relatively enriched pyroxene
component. Mare basalts dominate the southwestern part of the mare/
highland boundary between Mare Serenitatis and the Taurus Littrow
mountains and also fill the valleys west of Apollo 17. (4) Titanium
basalts (tb) as exposed at the surface points Apl7 and T5 (Fig. 1) are
characterized by high TiO2 concenUrations and thus by a high ilmenite
content. Titanium basalts are mainly exposed at Apollo 17 and south
of the landing site toward Mare Tranquillitafis. (5) The materials
exposed on the Mare Serenitads shelf area west to the Apollo 17
landing site ($3 and $4 in Fig. 1) exhibit a spectral/chemical
characteristic similar to that of the titanium basalts. However, this
unit shows a fine texture, is smoother than the titanium basalt unit,
and is enriched in the agglutinate and glass component [3]. The
photogeologic interpretation indicates that this unit is mainly com-
posed ofpyroclastic materials (dm). The present study shows that the
investigation of spectral properties is a useful tool to interpret the
composition of lunar surface materials.
References: [1] Scott D. H. and Pohn H. A. (1972) U. S. Geol.
Surv. Map 799 (LAC-43). [2] Scott D. H. et al. (1972) U. S. Geol.
Surv. Map 1-800. [3] Gaddis L. R. et al. (1985) Icarus, 65,461-489.
[4] Melzger A. E. and Parker R. E. (1980) EPSL, 45, 155-171.
[5] Adler I. et al. (1973) Proc. LSC 4lb, 2703-2791. [6] Jaumann R.
(1991) JGR, 96, 22793-22807. [7] Williams R. J. and Jadwick (1980)
NASA RP-I057. [8] Jaumann R. et al. (1988) LPSC XIX, 551-552.
NE_O_E E_p._'A_NEW_L_A_RR C_OM_-_NE//NT AT APO_LI.O _7 "
Eric A. Jerde,Gregory A. Snyder, and Lawrenee A.Taylor, Department
of Geological Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville "IN
37996, USA.
Introduction: The Apollo 11 (Mare Tranquillitatis) and Apollo
17 (Mare Serenitatis) landing sites are important as the only sources
of high-Ti basalt visited by the Apollo missions. The lunar high-Ti
basalts (>6% TiO2; [:1])have novolumewically comparable analogues
among terrestrial basalts and require the presence of ilmenite in the
source region, probably representing cumulates produced late in the
crystallization of the lunar magma ocean [2].
Six principal groups of high-Ti basalts have _ described, three
from each of the two sites (see the review by [1]). __ o_f
high-Ti basalts at the Apollo 17 site (termed "types") are =]] lo_v-K
(<2000 ppm K). These types are A, B, and C, with the typeB basalts
recently sfibdivided into varieties 1 and 2 (Fig. 1). Itwas shown by
Heal et al. [3] that the type A basalts and both type B varieties can be
generated through fracfionation of observed phenocryst phases hum
a single magma. An evaluation of isotopic data [4] indicates an age of
3.75 + 0.02 Ga for the type A basalts and 3.69 4- 0.02 Oa for the type
B1/B2 basalts. The scarce type C ba,salts (only six examples) from
Apollo 17 are moreprimitive than typ_s A and B, having elevated
MgO and Cr contents. However, the REE and alkali element (e.g., Rb)
abundances in type C basalts ate elevated relative to the type B basalts
[5]. Neal et al. [5] suggest that the parent to the type_ C basalts was
metasomatized by an alkali-rich fluid. Ordy two typeC _amples have
been dated, yielding ages ranging from 3.63 4- 0.14 to 3.75 + 0.08 Ga.


The Apollo 17 region: A compositional overview

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