Post-Apollo Lunar Science

114 Pages·2006·4.25 MB·English

POST-APOLLO LUNAR SC IENCE
Report of a Study by the
Lunar Science Institute
July 1972
Lunar Science Institute

3303 NASA Road 1

Houston, Texas 77058
Copyright @ 1972

by the

Lunar Science Institute

Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 72-93379
SUMMER STUDY ON

POST-APOLLO LUNAR SCIENCE

J. W. Chamberlain, Director Eugene M. Shoemaker
Lunar Science Institute California Institute
of Technology
R. A. Phinney (Chairman)
Princeton University Nafi M. Toksoz
Massachusetts Institute
John B. Adams (Co-Chairman) of Techno Zogy
Fairleigh Dickinson
University Robert M. Walker
Washington University
P. J. Coleman (Co-Chairman)
University of California Gerald J. Wasserburg
Los Angeles C~ZiforniaI nstitute
of Techno Zogy
E. Anders A. L. Burlingame
Enrioo Fermi Institute University of CaZifornia
Berkeley
Kinsey A. Anderson
University of California J . Cone1
Berkeley Jet PropuZsion Laboratory
James R. Arnold D. R. Criswell
University of California Lunar Science Institute
San ~ i e ~ o -
Michael B. Duke
G. Arrhenius NASA/MSC
University of California
San Diego Geoffrey Eglinton
University of BristoZ
Ralph R. Baker
Colorado State University Farouk E l- Baz
Bet Zcomm, Inc.
.Peter M. Bell
Carnegie Institution Michael Fulle r
of Washington university of Pittsburgh
Roy G. Brereton Paul Gast
Jet P~opulsionL aboratory NASA/MSC
Robin P. Brett H. Taylor Howard
NASA/MSC Stanford University
iii
W. M. Kaula S. K. Runcorn
University of California University of NewcastZe
Los AngeZes upon Tyne
Robert L. Kovach Roman A. Schmitt
Stanford University Oregon State University
Gary Latham Leon T. Silver
Marine BiomedicaZ Institute CaZifornia Institute
University of Texas of Techno Zogy
Kurt Marti W. L. Sjogren
University of Ca Zifornia Jet PropuZsion Laboratory
Sun Diego
Charles P. Sonett
Harold Masursky NASA/Ames Research Center
U. S. GeoZogicaZ Survey
David Strangway
W. R. Muehlberger NASA/MSC
University of Texas
Austin Gordon Swann
U. S. GeoZogicaZ Survey
Thomas A. Mutch
Brown University Harold C. Urey
University of CaZifornia
R. 0. Pepin San Diego
University of Minnesota
John A. Wood
William L. Quaide Smithsonian Institution
NASA/Ames Research Center
William W. Rubey
University of CaZifornia
Los Angezes
NASA OBSERVERS

R. J. Allenby W. T. O'Bryant
NASA Headquarters NASA Headquarters
Anthony J. Calio John H. Pomeroy
NASA/MSC NASA Headquarters
John W. Harris Donald Senich
NASA/MSC NASA Headquarters
Noel W. Hinners Henry J. Smith
NASA Headquarters NASA Headquarters
James A. Love11
NASA/MSC
As the end of the Apollo lunar missions approaches, there
i s much concern for the continued development of the lunar
sciences. It i s most important that the limited sums avail-
able be spent wisely, i f the huge investment i n Apollo i s t o
reap the scientific return that i s s t i l l largely latent i n
the photographs, the telemetry tapes, and the returned sam-
ples.
Accordingly, the Lunar Science Institute assembled a t
the University of California, San Diego a group representing
the various lunar sciences for the week of July 10, 1972 t o
examine the post-Apollo situation. This Report i s the result
of that brief Summer Study.
The types of scientific analyses that should be undertak-
en and the priorities involved received the main thrusts of
attention by the Study, and these matters are treated i n Chap-
ter 111, the heart of this Report.
To set the stage properly, however, Chapter I1 presents
a short summary of the present state of Apollo Lunar Science.
Moreover, a future return to the Moon, manned or unmanned,
should be planned i n the context of what Apollo accomplished
and what, i n the light of Apollo, are the outstanding ques-
tions. These matters are briefly addressed i n Chapter IV.
A few words on the manner of composing the Report are i n
order. Most of the text was generated during the one week a t
La Jolla, with the help of background "position papers" that
many participants prepared and circulated i n advance of the
Study. The Executive Committee structured the outline of the
Report, and i t s members served as focal points to bring togeth-
er a preliminary draft a t the Study. The Chairman and the two
Co-Chairmen subsequently distilled and collated the material.
All participants were asked to comment on the next-to-final
draft, and we have tried to reflect the prevailing views i n
this final version.
The principal conclusions of the Study appear as a set of
general recommendations, summarized i n Chapter I (pp. 4-5)s
along with the more detailed and specific recommendations sum-
marized i n Section B of Chapter I11 (pp. 31-35) and Section B
of Chapter I V (pp. 74-75).
J. W. Chamberlain
Director
Lunar Science Institute
Houston
October 1972
The Lunar Science Institute gratefully ac-
knowledges the time and effort donated by the
participants at this Study. In a period when
travel funds are scarce i t i s worth noting that
as a rule the LSI was not able to pay the travel
expenses for invitees. Most participants at-
tended a t the expense o f travel funds i n their
research grants. Special thanks are due our
hosts a t UCSD: Drs. James R. Arnold, Gustaf 0.
Arrhenius, Kurt Marti, and Harold C. Urey.
Page
Chapter I INTRODUCTION
A. Significance of Lunar Exploration-------------- 1
B. Organization of the Report--------------------- 3
C. Major Recommendations-------------------------- 4
Chapter I1 SCIENTIFIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF LUNAR
EXPLORATION
A. The Lunar Surface------------------------------ 6
B. The Lunar Interior----------------------------- 12
C. The Moon-Space Interface----------------------- 18
D. The Evolution of the Moon---------------------- 21
E. The Origin of the Moon------------------------- 26
F. Current Major Unsolved Problems---------------- 27
Chapter I11 A STRATEGY FOR LUNAR SCIENCE AFTER
APOLLO
A. Introduction----------------------------------- 3 1
B. Summary of Recommendations by
Program Area-------------------------------- 3 1
C. The Lunar Sample Analysis Program-------------- 35
Q. The Geophysical Program------------------------ 45
E. The Remote Sensing Program--------------------- 5 5
F. Curatorial Facilities for Samples and
the Data Archives--------------------------- 62
G, The Advisory Committees------------------------ 68
H. Relationship of Lunar Studies t o
Other Science------------------------------- 71
Chapter I V FUTURE LUNAR EXPLORATION
A. Introduction----------------------------------- 74
B. Conclusions and Recommendations---------------- 74
C. Sites for Future Exploration------------------- 76
D. Geophysical and Geochemical Measurements
i n Future Exploration----------------------- 81
E. The Interim Period----------------------------- 88
F. International Cooperation---------------------- 90
Appendix A FREQUENTLY USED ACRONYMS------------------- 91
Appendix B SUMMARY OF THE APOLLO SCIEPCE PROGRAM------ 92
Appendix C ADVISORY COMMITTEES CONCERNED WITH
LUNAR SCIENCE--------------------------- 97