Revisiting the field geology of Taurus–Littrow

Schmitt, H. H.; Petro, N. E.; Wells, R. A.; Robinson, M. S.; Weiss, B. P.; Mercer, Carolyn R.

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2016.11.042

Cited by 61 publications

(116 citation statements)

References 69 publications

(51 reference statements)

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“…Unfortunately, most of the impact melt breccias collected there have an uncertain provenance due to subsequent impact events, such as those forming the Imbrium and Crisium basins, or Tycho Crater. The radiometric ages of the impact melt breccias vary between 3.87 and 3.98 Ga (Stöffler et al, 2006) and recalculated 40 Ar-39 Ar analysis of samples shows ages between 3.89 and 3.93 Ga (Schmitt et al, 2017), which are not consistent with the CSFD results from Fassett et al (2012) or our study (4.22 +0.027 −0.033 Ga) (Table 2). Nevertheless, a recent study from Spudis et al (2011) also placed Serenitatis stratigraphically in the middle of the Pre-Nectarian period and they explained the absence of older sample ages by the fact that impact melt from Serenitatis was not collected.…”

Section: Serenitatis Basincontrasting

confidence: 85%

“…In the review from Stöffler et al (), the radiometric age is in the range from 3.84 Ga to 3.89 Ga, which might date the formation of the Crisium basin (see in Table ), although it remains uncertain whether the samples represent Crisium or different impact event. The recent study from Schmitt et al () corrected radiometric ages of samples between 3.89 and 3.93 Ga, while traditional CSFD measurements on proposed impact melt exposures in Crisium give an absolute model age of

\geq 3.9 4_{- 0.05}^{+ 0.05}

Ga (van der Bogert et al, ). Crater statistics from this study yield

4.0 7_{- 0.018}^{+ 0.016}

Ga which is slightly older than the radiometric ages of samples.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The sample ages are from the review of Stöffler et al (, and references therein). (1) Stöffler et al (), (2) Norman et al (), (3) Norman and Nemchin (), (4) Swindle et al (), (5) Schmitt et al (), (6) Norman et al (), and (7) Snape et al ().…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ancient Bombardment of the Inner Solar System: Reinvestigation of the “Fingerprints” of Different Impactor Populations on the Lunar Surface

et al. 2018

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The lunar cratering record provides valuable information about the late accretion history of the inner solar system. However, our understanding of the origin, rate, and timing of the impacting projectiles is far from complete. To learn more about these projectiles, we can examine crater size‐frequency distributions (CSFDs) on the Moon. Here we reinvestigate the crater populations of 30 lunar basins (≥ 300 km) using the buffered nonsparseness correction technique, which takes crater obliteration into account, thus providing more accurate measurements for the frequencies of smaller crater sizes. Moreover, we revisit the stratigraphic relationships of basins based on N(20) crater frequencies, absolute model ages, and observation data. The buffered nonsparseness correction‐corrected CSFDs of individual basins, particularly at smaller crater diameters are shifted upward. Contrary to previous studies, the shapes of the summed CSFDs of Pre‐Nectarian (excluding South Pole‐Aitken Basin), Nectarian (including Nectaris), and Imbrian (including Imbrium) basins show no statistically significant differences and thus provide no evidence for a change of impactor population.

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Section: Serenitatis Basincontrasting

confidence: 85%

\geq 3.9 4_{- 0.05}^{+ 0.05}

Ga (van der Bogert et al, ). Crater statistics from this study yield

4.0 7_{- 0.018}^{+ 0.016}

Ga which is slightly older than the radiometric ages of samples.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ancient Bombardment of the Inner Solar System: Reinvestigation of the “Fingerprints” of Different Impactor Populations on the Lunar Surface

et al. 2018

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“…Several boulders that rolled down the South and North Massifs and left visible tracks were among the high-priority exploration targets that the Apollo 17 crew investigated during their mission to the Taurus-Littrow Valley of the Moon (Schmitt 1973;Hurwitz and Kring 2016;Schmitt et al 2017). The boulder at Station 7, located at the base of the North Massif, is polylithologic.…”

Section: Description Of Sample 77135 and Previous 40 Ar/ 39 Ar Geochrmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the variability of argon loss in Apollo 17 impact melt rock 77135 using high‐spatial resolution⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronology

Mercer

Hodges

Jolliff³

et al. 2019

Meteorit & Planetary Scien

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40Ar/39Ar incremental heating experiments on whole‐rock lunar samples commonly provide evidence of varying degrees of radiogenic 40Ar (40Ar*) loss. However, these experiments provide limited information about whether or not 40Ar* is preferentially lost from specific glasses, minerals, or polyphase domains. Ultraviolet laser ablation microprobe (UVLAMP) 40Ar/39Ar dating and electron probe microanalysis of mineral clasts and polyphase melt assemblages in Apollo 17 poikilitic impact melt rock 77135 show evidence of geochemical controls on 40Ar/39Ar dates. Potassium‐rich glass and K‐feldspar in the mesostasis are the dominant sources for Ar released during low‐temperature steps of published 40Ar/39Ar release spectra for this rock, while pyroxene oikocrysts with enclosed plagioclase chadacrysts contribute Ar predominantly to intermediate‐ to high‐temperature steps. Additionally, UVLAMP analysis of a mm‐scale plagioclase clast demonstrates the potential to use stranded 40Ar* diffusive loss profiles to constrain the thermal evolution of lunar impact melt deposits and indicates that the melt component of 77135 cooled quickly. While some submillimeter clasts of plagioclase are distinctly older than the melt, other small clasts yield dates younger than the oldest melt components in 77135, plausibly due to subgrain fast diffusion pathways and/or 40Ar* loss during brief episodes of reheating at high temperatures. Our data suggest that integrated petrologic and microanalytical geochronologic studies are necessary complements to bulk sample geochronologic studies in order to fully evaluate competing models for the impactor flux during the first billion years of the Moon's evolution.

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“…Recently, LROC imagery is used by various research groups to revisit lunar landing sites to take a closer look at the exploration sites and to reevaluate the historic data in a wider and improved context. For example, by reevaluating his own on‐site field observations from today's perspective and by integrating recent remote sensing data, Schmitt et al () draw new conclusions on the geological evolution of the Taurus‐Littrow Valley. They also demonstrated the potential of applying close‐range photogrammetry to Hasselblad stereo images by creating a 3‐D scene and deriving the geologic setting of collected and returned samples.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coordinates and Maps of the Apollo 17 Landing Site

Haase

Wählisch

Gläser

et al. 2019

Earth and Space Science

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We carried out an extensive cartographic analysis of the Apollo 17 landing site and determined and mapped positions of the astronauts, their equipment, and lunar landmarks with accuracies of better than ±1 m in most cases. To determine coordinates in a lunar body‐fixed coordinate frame, we applied least squares (2‐D) network adjustments to angular measurements made in astronaut imagery (Hasselblad frames). The measured angular networks were accurately tied to lunar landmarks provided by a 0.5 m/pixel, controlled Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) orthomosaic of the entire Taurus‐Littrow Valley. Furthermore, by applying triangulation on measurements made in Hasselblad frames providing stereo views, we were able to relate individual instruments of the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiment Package (ALSEP) to specific features captured in LROC imagery and, also, to determine coordinates of astronaut equipment or other surface features not captured in the orbital images, for example, the deployed geophones and Explosive Packages (EPs) of the Lunar Seismic Profiling Experiment (LSPE) or the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) at major sampling stops. Our results were integrated into a new LROC NAC‐based Apollo 17 Traverse Map and also used to generate a series of large‐scale maps of all nine traverse stations and of the ALSEP area. In addition, we provide crater measurements, profiles of the navigated traverse paths, and improved ranges of the sources and receivers of the active seismic experiment LSPE.

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Revisiting the field geology of Taurus–Littrow

Cited by 61 publications

References 69 publications

Ancient Bombardment of the Inner Solar System: Reinvestigation of the “Fingerprints” of Different Impactor Populations on the Lunar Surface

Ancient Bombardment of the Inner Solar System: Reinvestigation of the “Fingerprints” of Different Impactor Populations on the Lunar Surface

Exploring the variability of argon loss in Apollo 17 impact melt rock 77135 using high‐spatial resolution⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronology

Coordinates and Maps of the Apollo 17 Landing Site

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Revisiting the field geology of Taurus–Littrow

Cited by 61 publications

References 69 publications

Ancient Bombardment of the Inner Solar System: Reinvestigation of the “Fingerprints” of Different Impactor Populations on the Lunar Surface

Ancient Bombardment of the Inner Solar System: Reinvestigation of the “Fingerprints” of Different Impactor Populations on the Lunar Surface

Exploring the variability of argon loss in Apollo 17 impact melt rock 77135 using high‐spatial resolution40Ar/39Ar geochronology

Coordinates and Maps of the Apollo 17 Landing Site

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Product

Resources

About

Exploring the variability of argon loss in Apollo 17 impact melt rock 77135 using high‐spatial resolution⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronology