The distribution of titanium on the lunar surface

Abstract

Titanium concentrations have been derived from measurements with the lunar-orbiting gamma-ray experiment on Apollo 15 and 16 by analyzing a spectral interval in which the titanium signal is relatively enhanced. Landing site soil values provide the reference for a regression curve from which Ti concentrations in 137 regions of adequate counting statistics are calculated. Among the mare regions overflown, the southern portion of Mare Tranquillitatis contains the highest Ti concentration (4.4%), Mare Serenitatis, Mare Fecunditatis, and Mare Smythii have intermediate values corresponding to low-Ti basalts, and Mare Crisium is conspicuously low in Ti (0.9%). Regional values in the western maria range from 1.1% to 4.1%, somewhat higher in the north than in the south, with the highest values seen south and west of Aristarchus. The Aristarchus Plateau appears chemically distinct from the surrounding mare. The younger western basalts mapped by the experiment do not appear to be identical to the Apollo 11 and Apollo 17 high-Ti basalts. Low-Ti basalts predominate in the observed mare regions. Highland Ti concentrations range from undetectable to 1.5% with several exceptions; accuracy is limited by the relatively large uncertainty. Highland results suggest a north-south asymmetry which is not consistent with previously reported results for Fe and Th. Comparisons with telescopic spectral reflectance studies of the maria do not show complete agreement and suggest that effects due to Fe may not have been fully removed from the reflectance data.