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At least 667 records · Page 37
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1975

Chemical, mineralogical and textural systematics of non-mare melt rocks: Implications for lunar impact and volcanic processes

Based on a synthesis of chemical data for over 200 samples, the nonmare rocks with fine grained melt textures can be classified into 7 major groups: anorthositic basalts, troctolitic basalts, VHA basalts, Apollo 14-type KREEP basalts, Apollo 15-type KREEP basalts, Apollo 17-type KREEP basalts, and aluminous mare basalts. Review of chemical, mineralogical, textural and experimental evidence leads to preferred hypotheses for the origins of these rocks; those hypotheses are discussed in detail.

Irving, A. J.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Chemical composition of boulder-2 rocks and soils, Apollo 17, Station 2

The bulk and trace element composition of five small samples from four rocks is remarkably similar. This result indicates that the metaclastic rocks studied are relatively uniform in their chemical composition. The elemental abundances found in the study are presented in two tables and the implications of the data are considered, giving attention to siderophiles, atmophile elements, and questions of element correlations. The 'dark mantle' valley soil 75081 at Camelot Crater is low in siderophiles. Since the soil is low in alkalis, a derivation from low-alkali mare basalt is suggested. The identical volatile contents in the surface soil 72461 and the 4 cm depth soil 72441 under a 0.7 m boulder argue against any surficial volatization by galactic and solar particles.

Laul, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Micrometeoroids and lunar rocks

Description of present concepts of the lunar micrometeoroid flux as deduced from microcrater observations on lunar rocks and available laboratory simulations with smooth glassy surfaces. Results examined include factors governing microcrater morphology, size frequency distribution, and correlation of lunar rock surface exposure ages with absolute crater number densities.

Hoerz, F.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Ferroan anorthosite - A widespread and distinctive lunar rock type

Eight of eleven Apollo 16 rake-sample anorthosites are very similar to each other, to hand-specimen Apollo 16 anorthosites, and to Apollo 15 anorthosites. They have feldspar An-96.6, both high- and low-Ca pyroxene with a restricted range of (low-magnesium) composition, minor olivine, traces of ilmenite and chromite, and originally coarse-grained, but now cataclastic texture. Such ferroan anorthosite is evidently a coherent, distinctive and widespread lunar rock type of cumulate origin which may not necessarily be very closely related genetically to other highland rock types.

Dowty, E.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Skylab S-192 ratio codes of soil, mineral, and rock spectra for ratio image selection and interpretation

A limited theoretical systems study is made of the Skylab S-192 12-channel multispectral scanner's capabilities for geological remote sensing. Laboratory spectra of rocks, minerals, soils, and some vegetation were used to rank the twelve channels and the best twelve of the 66 possible nonreciprocal spectral ratios according to their ability to discriminate among 17 classes of geological targets. Environmental and instrumental noise sources were ignored. The S-192 should be most useful for discriminating minerals deposited by hydrothermal alteration, weathering, and evaporation. Discrimination of igneous rocks will be difficult. Ratio images are recommended over automatic discrimination methods for those geological targets that can be enhanced by ratio imaging. Ratio codes were found for the twelve highest ranked ratios, for use in selecting the ratio images which will best enhance a target of interest. They can also be searched for false alarm candidates for a given target.

Vincent, R. K.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Na-D line emission from rock specimens by proton bombardment - Implications for emissions from Jupiter's satellite Io

The effectiveness of low-keV range protons in producing Na line emission from selected sodium-bearing rock and mineral samples is examined. Laboratory experiments show that substantial Na-D line emission is produced by 3- to 5-keV proton bombardment of silicate and halite rock powders. It is found that emission intensity and energy efficiency are directly proportional to sodium content and are dependent on total dose, dose rate, and proton energy. Na-D photon emission is considered to emanate predominantly from sputtered sodium slightly above the target surfaces. It is concluded that the Na-D line emission directly excited during surface sputtering by Jovian magnetospheric protons appears to be an observable component in the Jovian satellite Io emission.

Nash, D. B.↗
NASA NTRS1975

76535 - An old lunar rock

Measurements of Rb-Sr systematics, K-Ar gas retention ages, and the isotopic compositions of He, Ne, and Ar have been performed for lunar troctolite 76535. Other investigators have presented evidence that this important rock formed as a cumulate at depth, which would make it an important link in the early chronology of the moon. Rb-Sr data do not define an isochron. Total Ar-40/K ages of whole rock and plagioclase range from 4.40-4.54 b.y. The trapped Ne and Ar in 76535 cannot be uniquely characterized as either 'planetary derived' or solar wind derived, but appear to have characteristics of both. The data suggest that 76535 formed 4.3-4.6 b.y. ago, and the accumulation process and/or subsequent annealing may have incorporated excess noble gases. Separation of radiogenic parents and daughters with incomplete isotopic equilibration may also have occurred during cooling or during a subsequent 'event'.

Bogard, D. D.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Curved branching crystals and differentiation in comb-layered rocks

An investigation is conducted concerning two common features of comb layered rocks. Attention is given to the curvature of oriented, elongate, branching crystals and the tendency to form highly differentiated layers. Crystallization studies of plagioclase show that some degree of supercooling is necessary to produce the skeletal, curved, and branching plagioclase crystal morphologies found in comb-layered rocks and that curved crystals can be grown without the presence of a directed stress.

Lofgren, G. E.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Petrography and classification of Apollo 17 non-mare rocks with emphasis on samples from the Station 6 boulder

The Apollo-17 nonmare rock collection consists largely of polymict breccias lithified by impact and characterized by a variety of types of lithic clasts, concentrations of siderophile elements that indicate substantial meteoritic contamination, and contents of metallic iron well above those of mare basalts. These materials may be subdivided into two compositional groups, one with 70-80% feldspar and the other with 50-60% feldspar. The high-feldspar group includes two characteristic textures: coarsely poikilitic and granulitic. The low-feldspar group includes (1) fragmental breccias with the most diverse lithic clast populations of all breccias and (2) crystalline breccias with poikilitic and subophitic to micropoikilitic textures containing tabular feldspar, granular textures with anhedral feldspar, and clast-rich ophitic textures containing less euhedral feldspar. In the poikilitic and subophitic to micropoikilitic textures, the clast population is dominated by the high-feldspar lithologies and An(94-47) plagioclase grains, indicating that these more refractory lithologies were abundant in the material from which the less feldspathic crystalline rocks formed.

Simonds, C. H.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Comparative magnetic studies of some Apollo 17 rocks and soils and their implications

The lunar rock and soil specimens studied include samples of the orange and gray soil strata from adjancent sites on the South rim of Shorty Crater, two vesicular mare basalts, and a mare basalt of the dense aphanitic type. The magnetic characteristics of the soils are discussed along with a hysteresis behavior analysis of Apollo 17 rocks. The remanent properties are examined, giving attention to viscous remanence, NRM stability, saturation isothermal remanence, and heating experiments.

Brecher, A.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Internal friction in rocks and its relationship to volatiles on the moon

The physical properties of lunar rocks were measured using the vibrating bar technique in order to provide data for interpretation of geophysical results such as those from seismic measurements. The effect of volatiles on the mechanical Q in lunar rocks was studied in addition to the effect of exposing a sample to controlled amounts of those gases most likely to be present in the lunar environment or likely to have been outgassed from the lunar interior. The moderate temperatures to which the sample was exposed during the thermal treatment and the small drop in resonant frequency during the course of the outgassing suggests that there was little change in microfracture density. The frequency, composition and texture dependence of the damping were investigated, to study the loss mechanism.

Tittmann, B. R.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Contributions of rock magnetism and paleomagnetism to recent geophysical advances

The origin of natural remanent magnetization (NRM) in rocks is discussed both in terms of types and carriers of NRM. The importance of the concept of pseudo-single domain (PSD) grains as carriers of stable remanences is underscored. Recent advances in rock magnetism and paleomagnetism have helped to understand (1) continental motions which took place in the first 4 billion years of the earth's life, (2) fine details of field fluctuations both during 'normal' times as well as during a geomagnetic field reversal, and (3) indicate the magnitudes of the fields present during the formation of the moon and of the early solar system.

Banerjee, S. K.↗
NASA NTRS1976

The relation of metal composition to rock type for clasts in Apollo 16 soils

The moderately magnetic fractions of soils from a bright ray of South Ray Crater and from the continuous ejecta of North Ray Crater are described. The clasts in these fractions are classified as agglutinate, ANT melt rocks, glassy melt rocks, and ANT hornfels/breccia. Determinations are made of the Ni-Co and P contents of single-phase metal grains in the clasts. It is found that most of these grains have compositions in the meteoritic range and that the compositions tend to cluster at about 6% Ni. A significant amount of Fe-rich metal is also detected in some clasts along with a clear P-enrichment in metal from one soil sample. Meteoritic contamination of lunar metal having compositions in or close to the meteoritic range is considered. A model involving nine separate factors is proposed as an explanation of the observed metal compositions.

Hewins, R. H.↗
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.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Measurement of the optical properties of lunar rocks in the transition zone, resulting from observations made by Lunokhod 2

Photometric measurements were carried out directly on the lunar surface with the aid of a calibration device, a plate with fields of different brightness, placed in the field of view of the panoramic telephotometers. The brightness of the fields of the calibration plate were measured in preliminary studies, relative to the brightness of a magnesia screen. This permitted determination of the reflectance features of the surficial lunar material relative to the standard most widely used in brightness studies of natural substances. The total brightness of sections a few centimeters across was recorded in direct proximity to the apparatus. The total area investigated in one panorama was about one square meter. Several areas in the mare and highland regions were studied. The albedos of various surface objects were obtained. A comparison of the brightness measurements with data from the RIFMA-M instrument discloses a correlation of the albedo change with change in chemical composition of the surface rock. Direct photometric studies of the lunar surface in the "mare-highland" transition zone assist in tracing the transition from one type of rock to another, and in obtaining information on the processes of material exchange between these two types of lunar landscape.

Lipskiy, Y. N.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Parametric study of rock pile thermal storage for solar heating and cooling phase 1

The test data and an analysis were presented, of heat transfer characteristics of a solar thermal energy storage bed utilizing water filled cans as the energy storage medium. An attempt was made to optimize can size, can arrangement, and bed flow rates by experimental and analytical means. Liquid filled cans, as storage media, utilize benefits of both solids like rocks, and liquids like water. It was found that this combination of solid and liquid media shows unique heat transfer and heat content characteristics and is well suited for use with solar air systems for space and hot water heating. An extensive parametric study was made of heat transfer characteristics of rocks, of other solids, and of solid containers filled with liquids.

Saha, H.↗
NASA NTRS1977

/Ar-39/-/Ar-40/ ages of lunar rocks

The (Ar-39)-(Ar-40) ages for 21 lunar samples from Apollo 14, 15, 16, and 17 are presented. The cosmic-ray exposure ages, Ca, and K contents are also measured. Mare basalt 15075, a slowly cooled pyroxene-phyric basalt, has a (Ar-39)-(Ar-40) plateau age of 3.45 + or - 0.2 billion years. This is one of the oldest mare basalts found at Apollo 15. 65777, a recrystallized noritic breccia, has a plateau age of 3.72 + or - 0.02 billion years, relatively young for a highland rock. This rock is probably related to a cratering event over 200 m.y. post Imbrium. Similarly breccia 68516 was formed 150 m.y. post Imbrium. Histograms for the (Ar-39)-(Ar-40) plateau ages strongly suggest that the peak in ages at Apollo 14, 16, and 17 of about 4 billion years is caused by the dominance of Imbrium ejecta at these landing sites.

Schaeffer, G. A.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Dynamical implications of the petrology and distribution of impact melt rocks

Petrographic and structural relations of rocks resulting from melting of target materials during impact indicate constraints that can be applied to theoretical models and experimental production of craters. Topics discussed in this context include the motion of shock melted material, the mixing of melts, the energies required for heating and melting the necessary volumes of target rocks, diameter to depth ratios, and the formation of structural modifications. The motion of shock melted material involves ejection of some of the lowermost parts of the target, incorporation of distant fragmental material, outward flow, settling into cracks after breccia formation, and completion in a short time span. Melts must be completed within tens of seconds to a couple of minutes after impact.

Phinney, W. C.↗