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S. M. Seddio, R. L. Korotev, B. L. Jolliff, and R. A. Zeigler
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and
McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences
Advisor: R. L. Korotev
Abstract
The Apollo 12 regolith is composed of a variety of mare and nonmare lithologies. Most are mare basalts, regolith breccias, and impact melt breccias. Rarer lithologies include brecciated anorthosites, granites, and alkali anorthosites. As part of a survey of 2-4-mm lithic fragments from the Apollo 12 regolith [1,2], we identified several unusual fragments. One such fragment is 12032,366-19, a unique 21-mg granite which contains plagioclase that has the lowest An-value of which we are aware for any lunar sample. 12032,366-19 is the result of extreme lunar melt fractionation. This work demonstrates the diversity of lithologies found in the Apollo 12 regolith.
Stephen Seddio is from Hamlin, NY, and is a graduate student in the Department of Earth and Planetary Science at Washington University in St. Louis. Stephen specializes in Lunar Petrology and Geochemistry.
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