Lunar Geology of Apollo 11 Landing Site Chenango Forks High School Sharon Hartzell Sarah Maximowicz Benjamin Daniels Sarah Andrus Jackson Haskell
Lunar Maria Lunar Maria
Lunar Maria Low albedo Volcanic materials from flows, ash beds, or both Level and darker than other moon features
Mare Tranquilitatis : Sea of Tranquility Mare/Maria Latin term for Sea Apollo 11 landing site Minor Lunar Mare Chosen due to its relatively smooth and level area Small step for man giant leap for mankind First footprints located in the lunar mare
Lunar Highlands Highlands
The lunar highlands are lighter than the surrounding maria. They are formed by volcanic activity. The lava that formed the highlands cooled more slowly than the mare basalts They are anorthositic in composition and not basaltic Lunar Highlands
Samples from the lunar highlands near the Apollo 16 landing site are dated to be around 4 billion years old. The highlands are shown to be older than the mare basalts Lunar Highlands
Plains Level and flat With a relatively low albedo. Low undulating hills with sporadic craters and depressions. Generally where volcanic debris is limited and underlying features are marginally visible. Smooth, low hills may be totally absent of cratering. Underlying features are totally covered and evidence of volcanism is not apparent. Hypatia crater Zollner crater
Irregular Terra Characterized by its lack of a dominant or regular pattern. Except in very localized areas there are virtually no smooth, flat areas. Rough and rugged terrain composed of hills verging on mountainous terrain composed of volcanic debris. Rolling Hills distinguished by the small indentations in the surface that trail in a NW SE. The indentations are believed to be the result of faulting and collapse during the Imbrian event. Largely composed of volcanic materials as a result of the Hypatia crater (Upper), and the Zollner crater (Lower).
Craters
Craters Eroded, uneven edges: older craters Clean, well defined edges: newer craters Newer craters may also be superimposed on older craters, as with Hypatia and Hypatia A. Higher albedo than surrounding areas Many craters are surrounded by a halo of brighter material, or impact ejecta. Those without halos are most likely older, since the halo had the chance to be eroded Zöllner Kant Halo Craters near the Apollo 11 Landing site
Craters Some form from volcanic activities, but most are impact generated. Form either through simple or complex processes Force from the impact affects the moon's geology by causing compression and heating. Impacts push moon material out of the way in the same manner as a stone being dropped in water. Raised Rim Raised rims of craters result from the warped lunar surface. As material is removed from the craters, it forms rays of ejecta, or ejecta blankets. Rocks are shattered by the impact, leaving craters formed of breccias.
Lunar Features
Lunar Features LAVA TERRACES: Small terraces within some craters along mare highland boundaries Shorelines left after lava has withdrawn either by drainage back into vents or into a lunar basin GRABENS: Tectonic features that form under extension stresses or when magma is injected underground along dikes. Structurally composed of two normal faults with a down dropped block between them. Most grabens are found within the lunar maria near the edges of large impact basins.
Lunar Features Sinuous Rille: long, narrow winding U or V shaped channels with steep walls and roughly parallel sides that often emerge from craters. Sinuous rilles become narrower and shallower as they progress downstream Most are near mare basin edges or in most mare deposits Analogues to lava channels and collapsed lava tubes May represent volcanism occurring after global resurfacing.
Sources Google Moon http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/ Impact Cratering Notes Lunar Volcanism Notes http://books.google.com/books?id=7q49aaaaiaaj&pg=pa101&lpg=pa10 1&dq=lava+terraces+on+the+moon&source=bl&ots=yBkzpkcXVT&sig=X25 bbwy31wdxq9bdj1qnydlazve&hl=en&ei=t4kas4hih42zlaeiok2bbw&sa= X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CBUQ6AEwAw#v=onepag e&q=lava%20terraces%20on%20the%20moon&f=false http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc1996/pdf/1361.pdf http://apollo.sese.asu.edu/liw/index.html http://www.astrosociety.org/education/publications/tnl/13/13.html http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/moon/moon_surface.html http://lroc.sese.asu.edu/news/index.php?/archives/157 Pull Apart Grabens.html