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Geology topics

Research about Moon

Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including Moon.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
USGS1977

Geologic map of the west side of the Moon

The west limb region of the M oon consists of highly cratered terra rising 5 km or more above the mare of Oceanus Procellarum and most of the lunar near side. Crustal material in this area of large basins and craters has been redistributed repeatedly by giant impacts. The early historical record of these events is apparently preserved in a complex of interlayered breccias, which may be partly exposed in the walls of the larger craters. Orientale, the last multiringed basin, was formed early in lunar history during the wanning stages of high impact flux by a large body probably impacting the surface obliquely from the northeast. Ejecta from this impact was widely scattered by over the Moon and appears to form some of the plains materials. Although the major landforms of the Oriental basin were developed instantaneously in geologic terms, isostatic adjustments were more protracted; the accompanying structural dislocations including concentric and radial faults in the floor material may have continued u p to the time of mare basalt flooding after basin formation. Subsequent impacts have produced craters generally less than 60 km diameter.

IMAP↗
USGS1975

Origin of lunar light plains

Most Cayley-type Imbrian-age plains deposits and adjacent mantled slopes, including those at the Apollo 16 site, may be composed at least near the surface of ejecta from the Orientale basin, the youngest multiringed impact basin on the Moon. The distribution and apparent age of the plains deposits and preliminary data on the highly feldspathic breccias collected by the Apollo 16 crew indicate that these surficial materials are neither locally derived nor part of the Imbrium ejecta. Stratigraphic relations, crater size-frequency distributions, and dating by erosional morphology of superposed craters have established Cayley light-plains deposits as younger than the Imbrium basin and older than mare material. All such crater-dated Cayley-type plains on both the near and far sides of the Moon are contemporaneous within the limits of the technique. Furthermore, comparisons of the crater size-frequency distributions of the Hevelius Formation (Orientale ejecta) and the plains show that the Cayley and Hevelius Formations are indistinguishable in age. The surface and near-surface materials of the Apollo 16 plains, therefore, are contemporaneous with Orientale basin ejecta not with Imbrium ejecta, in which both crater densities and crater degradation are greater than in the light plains. Imbrium ejecta may, however, be present on the surface at the Apollo 16 site where excavated by craters from depth. Limited age data now available on the Apollo 16 samples are consistent with this interpretation. We conclude that rocks of Orientale provenance may be predominant on and near the surface at the Apollo 16 site. This hypothesis implies that the catastrophic Orientale impact struck a highland area underlain by highly feldspathic material and spread it over much of the Moon. Thus, much of the lunar highlands crust need not consist of anorthositic materials to any significant depth. These conclusions apply to the plains at the Apollo 16 site and most of the other Cayley-type plains, but we do not exclude the possibility that, moonwide, the plains may be polygenetic.

Journal of Research of the U.S. Geological Survey↗
USGS1975

The Nectarian System, a new lunar time-stratigraphic unit

Geologic mapping of the limbs and far side of the Moon has demonstrated the desirability of subdividing the pre-Imbrian rocks. A convenient datum is the Janssen Formation, the ejecta blanket of the Nectaris basin. A new system, herein named the Nectarian System, extends from the base of the Janssen Formation up to, but not including, the Fra Mauro Formation, which is the ejecta blanket of the Imbrium basin and the basal unit of the Imbrian System. As all rocks older than the Janssen Formation are informally called pre-Nectarian, the name "pre-Imbrian" is superseded by Nectarian and pre-Nectarian where rocks of these ages can be recognized.

Journal of Research of the U.S. Geological Survey↗
USGS1974

Water and carbon in rusty lunar rock 66095

Lunar rock 66095 contains a hydrated iron oxide and has an unusual amount of water for a lunar rock (140 to 750 parts per million), 90 percent of which is released below 690°C. The δof water released at these low temperatures varies from -75 to -140 per mil relative to standard mean ocean water (SMOW). The small amount of water released between 690° and 1300°C has a δ of about -175 ±25 per mil SMOW. These δ values are not unusual for terrestrial water. The δ 18 O of water extracted from 110° to 400°C has a value of +5± I per mil SMOW, similar to the value for lunar silicates from rock 66095 and different from the value of -4 to -22 per mil found for samples of terrestrial rust including samples of rusted meteoritic iron. The amount of carbon varies from 11 to 59 parts per million with a δ 13 C from -20 to -30 per mil relative to Pee Dee belemnite. Only very small amounts of reduced species (such as hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and methane) were found, in contrast to the analyses of other lunar rocks. Although it is possible that most of the water in the iron oxide (goethite) may be terrestrial in origin or may have exchanged with terrestrial water during sample return and handling, evidence presented herein suggests that this did not happen and that some lunar water may have a δD that is indistinguishable from that of terrestrial water.

Science↗
USGS1974

Apollo 11 voice transcript pertaining to the geology of the landing site

On July 20, 1969, America's Eagle touched down in southwestern Mare Tranquillitatis beginning man's firsthand exploration of the moon. This document is an edited record of the conversations between astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, Jr., at Tranquility Base, and Bruce McCandless at Mission Control in Houston during the approximately 22 hours spent on the lunar surface. It includes additional commentary during their return to Earth. It is a condensation hopefully of all the verbal data having geological significance. All discussions and observations documenting the lunar landscape, its geologic characteristics, the rocks and soils collected, and the photographic record are retained along with supplementary remarks essential to the continuity of events during the mission. We have deleted the words of mechanical housekeeping and engineering data, attempting not to lose the personal and philosophical aspects of this intensely human experience. The sources of this verbal transcript are the complete audio tapes recorded during the mission and the Technical Air-to-Ground Voice Transcription published by NASA. The voice record is listed chronologically given in days, hours, minutes, and seconds. These are the Ground Elapsed Times (GET) after launch from Kennedy Space Center which was 9:32 a.m. EDT on July 16, 1969. Figure 1 shows the vicinity of the landing site that was described, sampled, and photographed by the Apollo 11 crewmen.

Final Report↗
USGS1973

Geologic map of the Langrenus Quadrangle of the Moon

The Langrenus quadrangle is on the east limb of the lunar nearside, at the southeast margin of Mare Fecunditatis . The crater Lan grenus , about 140 km in diameter, is the most prominent feature. Rugged terra materials, scattered by craters of various sizes and ages, occupy much of the east half of the map area, and smooth mare materials in the Fecunditatis basin dominate the west. Mare Spumans and other irregular maria in the northeast are part of a belt of such maria concentric with Mare Crisium , which is centered approximately 500 km north of the quadrangle.

IMAP↗
USGS1973

Geologic map of the Byrgius Quadrangle of the Moon

The By rgius quadrangle, at the western edge of the near side, lies in the terra southwest of Oceanus Procellarum between the Humorum and Orientale basins. Structures and deposits related to the Orientale basin, which is younger than the Humorum basin (Hartmann and Kuiper, 1962 ), dominate the southwestern half of the quadrangle . The northeastern half is dominated by mantling deposits that are older than Orientale ( Imbrian ) and younger than Humorum (pre- Imbrian ), which lies mostly outside the zone of reco gnizable Orientale-related deposits or structures. These main subdivisions are visible on the albedo map of the Moon ( Pohn and Wildey , 1970) , the northeastern one having generally the lower albedo . The older units throughout the quadrangle have complex topography, probably formed mostly intersecti ng, degraded craters .

IMAP↗
USGS1973

Geologic map of the Rumker Quadrangle of the Moon

The Rumker quadrangle, in the northwest quadrant of the Moon, is adjacent to the western rim of the multi-ring Imbrium basin and to Sinus Iridum , a large (220 km diameter) mare-filled crater. Both of these great depressions were probably formed by impa c t, as indicated here and elsewhere on the Moon by the characteri stic form, distribution, and texture of surrounding materials and structures. The Imbrium b asin and Iridum crater were filled by mare mat erials during the Imbrain and Eratosthenian Periods. In this quadrangle, the widespread ejecta blanke t of the Imbrium basin, as well as the basin’s concentric ridges and mountain rings, has largely been buried by terra materials of mixed origin and by ejecta from Iridum and numerous smaller impact craters. These materials , together with some terra units of probable volcanic origin, make up the highland terrain. Mare materials of Oceanus Procellarum cover part of t his westward-sloping highland shelf that separate it from the Rumker Hills, an isolated plateau surrounded by the mare. No visible discontinuity distinguishes mare material of Oceanus Procella rum from those in the Imbrium basin, both of which contain several units having similar albedo and color. Parts of the mare are very dark and smooth and appear relatively young, and parts of the terra contain many diverse landforms of Imbrian and younger age that appear to be volcanic . This region may therefore have been more active internally during late stages of lunar history than many others on the near side.

IMAP↗
USGS1973

Preliminary geologic investigation of the landing site: Appendix A: lunar surface orientations of Apollo 17 rock samples

The lunar surface orientations of some of the Apollo 17 rock samples at the time of their collection (table 6-V) are shown in this appendix (figs. 6-65 to 6-87). These orientations were determined by correlating lunar photographs of samples before collection with shapes and shadow characteristics of the same samples in the LRL under oblique illumination with nearly collimated light. The light source in the laboratory simulates the Sun. It is important to emphasize that the orientations shown are those at the time of collection and do not necessarily apply to the entire history of the exposure of a rock on the lunar surface. Tumbling and turning of some rock fragments on the lunar surface has already been well documented.

Book chapter↗
USGS1973

Preliminary geologic investigation of the Apollo 17 landing site

The Apollo 17 lunar module (LM) landed on the flat floor of a deep valley that embays the mountainous highlands at the eastern rim of the Serenitatis basin. Serenitatis, the site of a pronounced mascon, is one of the major multi-ringed basins on the near side of the Moon. The Taurus-Littrow valley, which is radial to the Serenitatis basis, is interpreted as a deep graben formed by structural adjustment of lunar crustal material to the Serenitatis impact.

Book chapter↗
USGS1973

Surface electrical properties experiment

The surface electrical properties (SEP) experiment was used to explore the subsurface material of the Apollo 17 landing site by means of electromagnetic radiation. The experiment was designed to detect electrical layering, discrete scattering bodies, and the possible presence of water. From the analysis of the data, it was expected that values of the electrical properties (dielectric constant and loss tangent) of lunar material in situ would be obtained.

Book chapter↗
USGS1973

Apollo lunar sounder experiment

The scientific objectives of the Apollo lunar sounder experiment (ALSE) are (1) mapping of subsurface electrical conductivity structure to infer geological structure, (2) surface profiling to determine lunar topographic variations, (3) surface imaging, and (4) measuring galactic electromagnetic radiation in the lunar environment. The ALSE was a three-frequency, wide-band, coherent radar system operated from lunar orbit during the Apollo 17 mission.

Book chapter↗
USGS1973

Stratigraphic studies: Part A: basalt stratigraphy of southern Mare Serenitatis

Mare Serenitatis has long been noted for its conspicuous dark border (fig. 29-1). The Apollo 17 metric photographs traverse this border in southern Mare Serenitatis and show clearly superposition relationships among the mare and mare-related stratigraphic units. These photographs, together with full-Moon photographs, albedo measurements, and color information (table 29-I), provide the basis for a revised stratigraphic framework for these presumedly basaltic rocks (figs. 29-2 and 29-3). In contrast to most previous studies, we conclude that the darker units are older than lighter ones. Similar conclusions have been reached by Bryan and Adams (part C of sec. 30) and Boyce and Dial (part C of this section). The relatively light-colored central part of Mare Serenitatis is thought to represent the youngest basalt in the region; a very dark unit that includes the Apollo 17 landing site is one of the oldest.

Book chapter↗
USGS1973

Stratigraphic studies: Part B: geologic setting of the dark mantling material in the Taurus-Littrow region of the Moon

A dark-colored surficial deposit covers lowlands and highlands along the southeastern margin of the Serenitatis basin. Sampling of this material was a major exploration objective of the Apollo 17 mission. Since completion of the mission, the dark mantle has been the subject of considerable controversy, inasmuch as no obvious stratified deposit was found in the landing area. Yet the material can clearly be seen in the vicinity on orbital photographs, and it is distinctly darker than all the dark mare surrounding the Serenitatis basin (Fig. 29-11). Furthermore, the geologic setting as shown by Apollo 15 and 17 panoramic photographs shows critical relations that must be accounted for in future interpretations.

Book chapter↗
USGS1973

Stratigraphic studies: Part D: geologic map of the northern Crisium region

Apollo 17 metric photographs (fig. 29-26) provide the best available coverage for geologic interpretation of northern Mare Crisium and the northern Crisium basin. The area was covered previously by low-resolution telescopic and Lunar Orbiter IV photographs and by oblique, high-illumination, or low-resolution photographs from earlier Apollo missions. One region in particular, between Alhazen Crater and longitude 66° E, had previously been covered very poorly. The Apollo 17 photographs provide excellent monoscopic (fig. 29-26) as well as stereoscopic viewing because of the favorably low Sun illuminations (15° to 49°). These new photographic data allow the geology of the basin, the mare, and other nearby terrains to be reevaluated. This reexamination together with data from continuing Moon-wide photogeologic studies and analyses of returned rocks from Apollo landing sites, has produced a simple evolutionary picture of the region, expressed by fewer map units and explained by fewer basic processes than previously thought necessary (refs. 29-35 and 29-45 to 29-48).

Book chapter↗
USGS1973

Volcanic studies: Part B: Mare Serenitatis cinder cones and terrestrial analogs

Small volcanic cones with summit craters or breached walls occur in several areas on the Moon. Most of these features have basal diameters of approximately 1 to 2 km and probably are not more than a few hundred meters in height. None have been so clearly photographed, however, as those shown in Apollo 17 metric and panoramic camera coverage of the southeastern margin of the Serenitatis basin. Two cones (A and B in fig. 30-6) approximately 10 km apart project above mare material of Eratosthenian to Imbrian age (sec. 29, part A). Between the cones, small mounds (C, D, and E in fig. 30-6) appear to be alined along the buried extension of a rille (F in fig. 30-6, mostly outside photograph) and are probably volcanic extrusions or domes. In both scale and morphology, these and other lunar cones are remarkably similar to terrestrial cinder cones (figs. 30-7 and 30-8), and their interpreted volcanic origin is not dependent on controversial criteria such as dark halos, smooth rims, or their association with materials assumed to be volcanically derived. Summit craters may be coincidental and the result of impacts on the crests of the hills, but their occurrence with cones having breached surfaces or along structural lineaments (or both) strongly favors a volcanic or volcano-tectonic origin. Like their terrestrial counterparts, these cones probably are composite structures made up of inter-layered pyroclastic material and lava flows.

Book chapter↗
USGS1973

Volcanic studies: Part E: Eratosthenian volcanism in Mare Imbrium: source of youngest lava flows

Orbital photographs taken at low-Sun illumination during both the Apollo 15 (ref. 30-14) and Apollo 17 missions have provided excellent data on the lava flows in the southwestern Mare Imbrium. These photographs have been used recently to present a detailed photogeologic evaluation of these flows and their role in mare volcanism of Eratosthenian age in the basin (ref. 30-15). Eruption of these flood basalts apparently took place in at least three major episodes with suggested dates of 3.0 ± 0.4 billion years (phase I), 2.7 ± 0.3 billion years (phase II), and 2.5 ± 0.3 billion years (phase III) using the mare age-dating method described by Soderblom and Lebofsky (ref. 30-16) and recent data by Soderblom and Boyce (ref. 30-17).

Book chapter↗