High‐Ti Melts From the Taurus‐Littrow Valley (TLV). A Product of Volcanism or Impact? An ANGSA Investigation Using the Station 3 Double Drive Tube 73001/73002.
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| Title: | High‐Ti Melts From the Taurus‐Littrow Valley (TLV). A Product of Volcanism or Impact? An ANGSA Investigation Using the Station 3 Double Drive Tube 73001/73002. |
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| Authors: | Shearer, C. K.1,2 (AUTHOR) cshearer@unm.edu, Simon, S. B.1 (AUTHOR), Erickson, T. M.3 (AUTHOR), Neal, C. R.4 (AUTHOR), Valenciano, J. L.4 (AUTHOR), Simon, J. I.5 (AUTHOR), Eckley, S.3 (AUTHOR), Jolliff, B. L.6 (AUTHOR), Moriarty, D. P.7 (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets. Jun2025, Vol. 130 Issue 6, p1-21. 21p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Landslides, Lunar surface, Orientation (Chemistry), Lava flows, Petrology, Inclusions in igneous rocks |
| Abstract: | The ANGSA initiative examined an unopened Apollo 17 double drive tube that penetrated a "light mantle" surface feature that represents a landslide deposit originating from the South Massif in the Taurus Littrow Valley. Within this double drive tube are several lunar lithologies not identified in the Apollo, Luna, Chang'e 5 or lunar meteorite collections. One such lithology is lithic fragment 73002, 27G. It consists of a fine‐grained, high‐Ti melt lithology which hosts lithic clasts and mineral fragments derived from a variety of high‐Ti basalts. This lithology represents either a quickly cooled mare basalt with xenocrysts produced by thermal erosion of older crystalline high‐Ti basalts, or a high‐Ti impact melt with remnants of the target lithologies. Both types of lithologies are rare to non‐existent, so this new sample has the potential to shed light on either the dynamical near‐surface interactions between erupting magmas and previously erupted flows, or impact processes involving high‐Ti mare basalt targets. Although not entirely unambiguous, numerous lines of evidence support an impact origin for this rock type. Based on crystal size distribution, the interclast melt experienced rapid cooling, exceeding rates documented in most high‐Ti mare basalts. Mineral and bulk chemistry and preferred orientations of matrix grains indicate that the rapidly cooled portion of this lithology contains remnants of a variety of mare basalts. It seems unlikely that basalt flow would contain such a variety of xenoliths at its chilled surface. Although the interclast melt falls on an appropriate liquid‐line‐of‐descent, its composition has characteristics distinct from other high‐Ti basalts. Plain Language Summary: The NASA Apollo Next Generation Sample Analysis (ANGSA) initiative examined an unopened Apollo 17 double drive tube that penetrated a landslide deposit originating from the slope of the South Massif in the Taurus Littrow Valley. Within this double drive tube are several lunar lithologies not previously identified in the Apollo, Luna, Chang'e 5 or lunar meteorite collections. The central goal of ANGSA and therefore this manuscript is to identify new lunar lithologies. This is central to fulfilling the important science concepts identified in the National Research Council Report, Scientific Context for Exploring the National Research Council (2007), https://doi.org/10.17226/11954. One such rock type consists of high‐Ti basalt clasts and mineral fragments in a very fine‐grained matrix. This matrix represents either a melt derived from the lunar interior and erupted at the lunar surface, or a melt produced by an impact into lava flows on the lunar surface. Both types of rocks are rare in the lunar collection. Based on numerous observations, we conclude that this rock is a product of impact. Key Points: A drive tube core that penetrated a landslide deposit provides a suite of lithologies not represented in the Apollo sample collectionLithic 73002, 27G represents either a quickly cooled high‐Ti basalt with xenoliths or a high‐Ti impact melt with target materialThis lithology is more likely a rare high‐Ti impact melt. Therefore, not all high‐Ti melts were generated from the lunar interior [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
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| Header | DbId: 8gh DbLabel: GreenFILE An: 186226332 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: High‐Ti Melts From the Taurus‐Littrow Valley (TLV). A Product of Volcanism or Impact? An ANGSA Investigation Using the Station 3 Double Drive Tube 73001/73002. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Shearer%2C+C%2E+K%2E%22">Shearer, C. K.</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> cshearer@unm.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Simon%2C+S%2E+B%2E%22">Simon, S. B.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Erickson%2C+T%2E+M%2E%22">Erickson, T. M.</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Neal%2C+C%2E+R%2E%22">Neal, C. R.</searchLink><relatesTo>4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Valenciano%2C+J%2E+L%2E%22">Valenciano, J. L.</searchLink><relatesTo>4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Simon%2C+J%2E+I%2E%22">Simon, J. I.</searchLink><relatesTo>5</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Eckley%2C+S%2E%22">Eckley, S.</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jolliff%2C+B%2E+L%2E%22">Jolliff, B. L.</searchLink><relatesTo>6</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Moriarty%2C+D%2E+P%2E%22">Moriarty, D. P.</searchLink><relatesTo>7</relatesTo> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Geophysical+Research%2E+Planets%22">Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets</searchLink>. Jun2025, Vol. 130 Issue 6, p1-21. 21p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Landslides%22">Landslides</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Lunar+surface%22">Lunar surface</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Orientation+%28Chemistry%29%22">Orientation (Chemistry)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Lava+flows%22">Lava flows</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Petrology%22">Petrology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Inclusions+in+igneous+rocks%22">Inclusions in igneous rocks</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: The ANGSA initiative examined an unopened Apollo 17 double drive tube that penetrated a "light mantle" surface feature that represents a landslide deposit originating from the South Massif in the Taurus Littrow Valley. Within this double drive tube are several lunar lithologies not identified in the Apollo, Luna, Chang'e 5 or lunar meteorite collections. One such lithology is lithic fragment 73002, 27G. It consists of a fine‐grained, high‐Ti melt lithology which hosts lithic clasts and mineral fragments derived from a variety of high‐Ti basalts. This lithology represents either a quickly cooled mare basalt with xenocrysts produced by thermal erosion of older crystalline high‐Ti basalts, or a high‐Ti impact melt with remnants of the target lithologies. Both types of lithologies are rare to non‐existent, so this new sample has the potential to shed light on either the dynamical near‐surface interactions between erupting magmas and previously erupted flows, or impact processes involving high‐Ti mare basalt targets. Although not entirely unambiguous, numerous lines of evidence support an impact origin for this rock type. Based on crystal size distribution, the interclast melt experienced rapid cooling, exceeding rates documented in most high‐Ti mare basalts. Mineral and bulk chemistry and preferred orientations of matrix grains indicate that the rapidly cooled portion of this lithology contains remnants of a variety of mare basalts. It seems unlikely that basalt flow would contain such a variety of xenoliths at its chilled surface. Although the interclast melt falls on an appropriate liquid‐line‐of‐descent, its composition has characteristics distinct from other high‐Ti basalts. Plain Language Summary: The NASA Apollo Next Generation Sample Analysis (ANGSA) initiative examined an unopened Apollo 17 double drive tube that penetrated a landslide deposit originating from the slope of the South Massif in the Taurus Littrow Valley. Within this double drive tube are several lunar lithologies not previously identified in the Apollo, Luna, Chang'e 5 or lunar meteorite collections. The central goal of ANGSA and therefore this manuscript is to identify new lunar lithologies. This is central to fulfilling the important science concepts identified in the National Research Council Report, Scientific Context for Exploring the National Research Council (2007), https://doi.org/10.17226/11954. One such rock type consists of high‐Ti basalt clasts and mineral fragments in a very fine‐grained matrix. This matrix represents either a melt derived from the lunar interior and erupted at the lunar surface, or a melt produced by an impact into lava flows on the lunar surface. Both types of rocks are rare in the lunar collection. Based on numerous observations, we conclude that this rock is a product of impact. Key Points: A drive tube core that penetrated a landslide deposit provides a suite of lithologies not represented in the Apollo sample collectionLithic 73002, 27G represents either a quickly cooled high‐Ti basalt with xenoliths or a high‐Ti impact melt with target materialThis lithology is more likely a rare high‐Ti impact melt. Therefore, not all high‐Ti melts were generated from the lunar interior [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1029/2024JE008437 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 21 StartPage: 1 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Landslides Type: general – SubjectFull: Lunar surface Type: general – SubjectFull: Orientation (Chemistry) Type: general – SubjectFull: Lava flows Type: general – SubjectFull: Petrology Type: general – SubjectFull: Inclusions in igneous rocks Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: High‐Ti Melts From the Taurus‐Littrow Valley (TLV). A Product of Volcanism or Impact? An ANGSA Investigation Using the Station 3 Double Drive Tube 73001/73002. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Shearer, C. K. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Simon, S. B. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Erickson, T. M. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Neal, C. R. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Valenciano, J. L. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Simon, J. I. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Eckley, S. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Jolliff, B. L. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Moriarty, D. P. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 06 Text: Jun2025 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 21699097 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 130 – Type: issue Value: 6 Titles: – TitleFull: Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets Type: main |
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