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Published November 16, 1973 | public
Journal Article Metadata-only

Geologic Exploration of Taurus-Littrow: Apollo 17 Landing Site

Wolfe, E. W.
Muehlberger, W. R.
Rennilson, J. J.
Apollo Field Geology Investigation Team

Abstract

Apollo 17 landed in a deep graben valley embaying the mountainous highlands southeast of the Serenitatis basin. Impact-generated breccias underlie the massifs adjacent to the valley, and basalt has flooded and leveled the valley floor. The dark mantle inferred from orbital photographs was not recognized as a discrete unit; the unusually thick regolith of the valley floor contains a unique high concentration of dark glass beads that may cause the low albedo of much of the surface.

Additional Information

© 1973 American Association for the Advancement of Science. Work done under NASA contract T-5874A. Publication authorized by the director, U.S. Geological Survey. This article is a condensation and revision of a report by the Apollo Field Geology Investigation Team to be included in the Apollo 17 Preliminary Science Report for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The condenser, E. W. Wolfe (U.S. Geological Survey, Flagstaff, Arizona), and the principal investigator for Apollo field geology investigations, W. R. Muehlberger (University of Texas, Austin, and USGS), assume full responsibility for any distortions of concepts or data developed by other authors of the original report. Direct contributions to the work reported here were made by W. R. Muehlberger; R. M. Batson (USGS); E. A. Ceman (National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Houston, Texas); V. L. Freeman, M. H. Haitt, .H. E. Holt, K. A. Howard, E. D. Jackson, K. B. Larson, and V. S. Reed (USGS); J. J. Rennilson (California Institute of Technology, Pasadena); H. H. Schmitt (NASA); and D. H. Scott, R. L. Sutton, D. Stuart-Alexander, G. A. Swann, N. J . Trask, G. E. Ulrich, H. G. Wilshire, and E. W. Wolfe (USGS). Some of the concepts were developed in part in pre-mission discussions with J. W. Head (Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island) and B. K. Lucchitta (USGS). The quality of the manuscript was improved as a result of critical reviews by B. K. Lucchitta and J. P. Schafer (USGS).

Additional details

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Created:
August 19, 2023
Modified:
October 25, 2023