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Korotev, R. L.

Publications and source records attributed to Korotev, R. L..

66 records · Page 4
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1982

On compositional modeling of lunar highlands soils, including application to the orbiting gamma-ray experimental data

The compositions of remotely sensed highlands soils are compared with those of acquired highlands soils through the use of a compositional model. This model previously demonstrated its ability to describe compositions of acquired highlands soils with an accuracy approximating the present knowledge of the compositions. The principal question addressed here is whether the compositional end-members used to describe the acquired highlands soils are adequate to describe the remotely sensed ones or whether in some remotely sensed regions volumetrically significant components of different composition are required. Owing to the large analytical uncertainties in the gamma-ray data, only the presence of substantial proportions of significantly different components would be detectable by this (or any other) analysis of those data.

Haskin, L. A.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Comparative geochemistry of Apollo 16 surface soils and samples from cores 64002 and 60002 through 60007

New data are presented for the concentrations of 23 to 27 elements in nine Apollo 16 surface soil samples, two subsplits each of 12 splits of core 60002-7, and one subsplit each of 10 splits of drive tube 64002. The surface soils are generally similar to other surface soils collected at their respective stations. All ten 64002 samples are similar to each other and to the station 4 surface soils and distinctly different from soils at other stations. High iron concentrations previously reported for these same subsplits of 60002-7 result primarily from meteoritic metal. One sample from each core is contaminated by stainless steel. The recently proposed ferroan anorthositic norites are required to explain the soil compositions. A yet uncharacterized component with high concentrations of Na, Sr, and Eu is also needed.

Korotev, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS1980

A synthesis of lunar highlands compositional data

Based on compositions of lunar soils and endogeneous highland rocks and mineral phase relationships, a composition for the non-KREEP, mafic portion of the lunar highlands is determined through the use of a mixing model. It is found that the most common materials making up the surface highlands appear to be ferroan anorthosite (FAN) and a material of olivine norite composition (HON, highlands olivine norite) in roughly equal proportions. It is also found that the composition of HON is similar to that of the residual liquid from crystallization of FAN and that the proportion of FAN to HON at the lunar surface appears to be much higher than the phase relations allow for the extent of evolution of HON from a primitive plagioclase-saturated liquid. This is seen as implying an excess of FAN in the upper highlands.

Korotev, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Test of a model for trace element partition during closed-system solidification of a silicate liquid

Trace-element concentrations in separated minerals and rock fragments from a coarsely crushed and sieved sample of medium-grained lunar basalt are determined by high-precision instrumental neutron activation analysis for three main purposes. These are: (1) to test a previously proposed model for describing trace-element behavior during solidification of a silicate liquid under conditions of a closed system; (2) to compare trace-element concentrations among different size fractions of a comminuted basalt; and (3) to investigate small-scale heterogeneity within a single medium-grained basalt. It is found that an excellent mass balance for the whole rock is attained in terms of the trace-element concentrations of the component minerals and mesostasis, that the mixing model describing this mass balance yields a superior modal analysis for the whole rock, and that different size fractions of the coarsely crushed basalt vary in mineral composition. The closed-system model is shown to account properly for the average behavior of the trace elements during solidification of the basalt, and values of distribution coefficients are obtained for incompatible elements in that rock.

Haskin, L. A.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Geochemistry of grain-size fractions of soils from the Taurus-Littrow valley floor

Results are presented for a study in which high-precision instrumental neutron activation analysis was applied to determine the abundances of seven rare-earth and nine other elements in two grain-size fractions (90 to 150 microns and less than 20 microns) of eight soils from the Taurus-Littrow Valley floor and one Apollo 11 bulk-soil fraction with grain sizes of less than 1 mm. Compositional differences between the two size fractions of two valley-floor soils are examined, and mixing of soil components is investigated. It is found that a five-component mixing model describes very adequately the chemical composition of bulk soils with grain sizes of less than 1 mm as mixtures of local Apollo 17 rock types (basalt, anorthositic gabbro, noritic breccia), orange glass, and meteorites, but does not describe well the chemical compositions of the other two size fractions. A ten-component model is used to show that the compositions of those two size fractions can be well represented as mixtures of the five components if the mineralogy and chemical composition of the basalt component are allowed to vary in the size fractions.

Korotev, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Major and trace element chemistry of Boulder 1 at Station 2, Apollo 17

Twenty-seven samples from Boulder 1 at Station 2 are analyzed for major and trace elements by atomic absorption spectrophotometry and neutron activation analysis. Two types of matrix and several types of clast materials are characterized on the basis of their chemistry. It is shown that one matrix type is a common material at the Apollo 17 site, while the other is probably exotic to that site. The most unusual clast materials found are coarse norite (an old rock no longer found in millimeter fragments at the site) and pigeonite basalt (possibly a highland volcanic rock). It is concluded that the boulder-forming process combined materials from at least two different localities or vertical strata.

Blanchard, D. P.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Consortium studies of matrix of light gray breccia 73215

A description is presented of the preliminary results of interdisciplinary studies of matrix samples. The significance of the 73215 studies is considered and the relationship of 73215 to other Apollo 17 highland breccias is discussed. According to a tentative hypothesis 73215 is an aggregate of fragments plus melt generated in a very large impact, possibly the Serenitatis basin-forming event. If this is correct, studies of this sample will make it possible to date the Serenitatis event and will provide an insight into the breccia-forming processes associated with such events. Studies of the clasts in the breccia will provide an opportunity to formulate a partial characterization of the preimpact source terrain. An investigation of the deep lunar crust might perhaps also be possible.

James, O. B.↗
NASA NTRS1975

A geochemical and petrographic study of 1-2-mm fines from Apollo 17

Samples of fines less than 1-mm and 155 1-2 mm particles from several Apollo 17 sites were analyzed for Na, Sc, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Hf, Ta, Th, and REE. Products of comminution and construction are present in the 1-2 mm particles, and the compositions of the rock fragments clearly indicate the general chemical characteristics of their parent rock types. The likely sources of materials for the glassy particles are considered. Glasses are enriched over their parent soils in Fe, Sc, Mn, and Cr, and are relatively enriched in light REE, so that some chemical fractionation accompanies glass-forming processes. Elements were determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis.

Blanchard, D. P.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Rare earths and other trace elements in Apollo 14 samples.

REE and other trace elements have been determined in igneous rocks 14053, 14072, and 14310, in breccias 14063 and 14313, and in fines 14163. All materials analyzed have typical depletions of Eu except for feldspar fragments from the breccias and igneous fragments from 14063. Igneous rocks 14072 and 14053 have REE concentrations very similar to Apollo 12 basalts; 14310 has the highest REE concentrations yet observed for a large fragment of lunar basalt. The effects of crystallization of a basaltic liquid as a closed system on the concentrations of Sm and Eu in feldspar are considered. Small anorthositic fragments may have originated by simple crystallization from very highly differentiated basalt (KREEP) or by closed-system crystallization in a less differentiated starting material. Application of independent models of igneous differentiation to Sm and Eu in massive anorthosite 15415 and to Sm and Eu in lunar basalts suggests a common starting material with a ratio of concentrations of Sm and Eu about the same as that in chondrites and with concentrations of those elements about 15 times enriched over chondrites.

Helmke, P. A.↗