Moon rocks and minerals

Ica_~us 17, 720-722 (1972)

Book Reviews Moon Rocks and Minerals. A. A. LEvINso~ AND S. R . TAYLOR. P e r g a m o n Press, N e w Y o r k , 1971. x i v + 222 pp. P r i c e $11.50.

O v e r a y e a r ago w o r d s p r e a d i n t h e l u n a r scientific c o m m u n i t y t h a t a b o o k a b o u t t h e Apollo l u n a r s a m p l e i n v e s t i g a t i o n s was i n progress. O r d i n a r i l y one w o u l d g r e e t s u c h news w i t h s k e p t i c i s m since s u c h a b o o k w o u l d necess a r i l y b e b a s e d u p o n only t h e Apollo 11 a n d v e r y p r e l i m i n a r y Apollo 12 results. B u t one could h a v e e x p e c t e d t h i s book, Moon Rocks and Minerals, t o b e a n e x c e l l e n t c o n t r i b u t i o n b e c a u s e it w a s b e i n g w r i t t e n b y A. A. L e v i n s o n a n d S. Ross Taylor, t h e f o r m e r t h e e d i t o r of t h e v o l u m i n o u s (2818 pp.) t o m e , Proceedings of the Apollo 11 Lunar Science Conference, a n d t h e l a t t e r a m e m b e r o f t h e Apollo 11 a n d 12 P r e l i m i n a r y E x a m i n a tion Team. What better pair of insiders to write a concise s u m m a r y of Apollo s a m p l e i n v e s t i g a tions? W i t h t h i s i n m i n d m a n y l u n a r scientists succumbed to prepublication advertisements a n d s e n t in orders. W e h a v e , i n general, g r o u n d s tbr disappointment. Moon Rocks and Minerals suffers first a n d f o r e m o s t b y c o m i n g o u t t w o y e a r s a f t e r Apollo 11. T h e r e h a v e b e e n t h r e e Apollo m i s s i o n s a n d t w o L u n a s a m p l e r e t u r n flights since t h a t t i m e , a d d i n g so m u c h n e w d a t a a n d , m o r e i m p o r t a n t , considered data interpretation that anyone r e a d i n g t h e b o o k u n d e r discussion will b e h o p e lessly m i s l e d a b o u t t h e c u r r e n t s t a t e of l u n a r knowledge. T h e a u t h o r s h a v e m a d e a n a t t e m p t to i n c o r p o r a t e Apollo 12 p r e l i m i n a r y r e s u l t s b u t s u c h m a t e r i a l is m e a g e r . B u t for now, let u s a s s u m e that no writer can keep up with the new data and analyze the book from the viewpoint of its p u r p o r t e d p u r p o s e a n d t h e q u a l i t y o f its science presentation. T h e j a c k e t c l a i m s t h a t t h e b o o k is w r i t t e n for t h e l a y m a n . L e v i n s o n a n d T a y l o r do a n e x c e l l e n t j o b in t h e t e x t o f e x p l a i n i n g t h e multitude of terms commonly used by the sample investigators and in presenting condensed reviews of significant topics s u c h as t h e g e o c h e m i c a l classification of t h e e l e m e n t s . This is key, of course, t o t h e discussion of t h e source of l u n a r b a s a l t s a n d of t h e i r special c h e m i s t r y . M a n y of t h e scientific t e r m s are i n c o r p o r a t e d in a glossary w h i c h , h o w e v e r , is n o t i n t i p - t o p shape, especially for a l a y m a n . F o r e x a m p l e : " B a r . T h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l u n i t of p r e s s u r e (1 b a r = 0 . 9 8 7 atm)."--in the text Copyright © 1972 by Academic Press, Inc. All rights of reproduction in any form reserved.

(p. 147) we find a n o t h e r definition, one w h i c h a t l e a s t uses force p e r u n i t a r e a b u t w h i c h u n f o r t u n a t e l y e q u a t e s one bar, one a t m o s p h e r e , a n d 14.151bfin 2. T h e c o r r e c t c o n v e r s i o n is, of course, 0.987 a r m or 14.5041b/in2; " A u g i t e . . ." n o f o r m u l a g i v e n b u t we do find a f o r m u l a for p i g e o n i t e ( u n f o r t u n a t e l y i n d i c a t i n g A1 a n d Ti as p a r t of t h e essential e l e m e n t s ) ; a n d "Iron-nickel. (Fe-Ni); a mineral. "--at least t h e t e x t uses t h e m i n e r a l n a m e s k a m a c i t e a n d taenite. Lastly, the layman has been hit three t i m e s (text, glossary, a n d t a b l e of c o n v e r s i o n factors) w i t h t h e v a r i o u s e q u i v a l e n c i e s a m o n g ppm, ppb, and %. Moon Rocks and Minerals is a d v e r t i s e d as " . . . a n i n v a l u a b l e reference source for s t u d e n t s , r o c k a n d m i n e r a l collectors, a n d all t h o s e interested in lunar exploration." I presume that t h o s e people s h o u l d b e able t o follow u p i t e m s of interest but the book contains approximately s e v e n u s a b l e references, t h r e e o f w h i c h are a s s o c i a t e d w i t h T a b l e 4-1. All o t h e r references are b y a u t h o r l a s t n a m e a n d i n s t i t u t i o n , n o t p a r t i c u l a r l y useful for t h e u n i n i t i a t e d a l t h o u g h w i t h some p e r s p i c a c i t y h e will go t o t h e P r o c e e d ings v o l u m e s w h e r e m o s t o f t h e references c a n be traced. Proceeding through the book from front to b a c k , we first c o m e u p o n a f r o n t i s p i e c e s h o w i n g a composite photograph of the moon with the l u n a r l a n d i n g sites labeled. I t is n o t a f a m i l i a r m o o n ; r a t h e r i t is t h e old i n v e r t e d " a s t r o n o m i c a l " pre-Apollo m o o n (out of U r e y ' s 1952 book, The Plane~) w h i c h h a s n o r t h a t t h e b o t t o m a n d s o u t h a t t h e top. T h e discussion of t h e r o c k s a n d soils ( C h a p t e r 2) p u t s t o o m u c h e m p h a s i s o n t h e T y p e A, B, C, D classification w h i c h h a s t u r n e d o u t n o t to b e useful. T h e r e is, h o w e v e r , a good d e s c r i p t i o n of t h e t e x t u r e s a n d origin o f s h o c k f e a t u r e s , craters, a n d v u g s . T h e section o n a n o r t h o s i t e s i n t h e soils is p r e s e n t e d as a r a t h e r i s o l a t e d t o p i c because no data precedes it on the chemical a n o m a l i e s i n t h e soil. T h e c h e m i c a l d a t a is in C h a p t e r 4, b y w h i c h time, h o w e v e r , t h e l a y r e a d e r will h a v e a h a r d t i m e m a k i n g t h e m e n t a l connection. The section on the regolith and soil m e c h a n i c s a d e q u a t e l y describes t h e f o r m a t i o n of t h e r e g o l i t h b u t t h e soil m e c h a n i c s is l i m i t e d to a simple discussion of p h e n o m e n o l o g y to t h e t o t a l exclusion o f b e a r i n g c a p a c i t y , cohesion, etc. L u n a r glasses are d e s e r v e d l y singled o u t as a 720

BOOK REVIEWS special t o p i c in C h a p t e r 2 a n d are well described. T h e discussion of t h e glass c h e m i s t r y as comp a r e d t o t e k t i t e s c o n v i n c e s one t h a t t h e r e is n o e q u i v a l e n c e b e t w e e n l u n a r glasses a n d t e k t i t e s . C h a p t e r 3 c o n c e n t r a t e s o n t h e m i n e r a l s a n d is i n d e e d w r i t t e n so t h a t t h e l a y m a n c a n a p p r e c i a t e t h e significance of t h e c h e m i s t r y o f m i n e r a l s a n d h o w p e t r o l o g i s t s use t h a t i n f o r m a t i o n t o i n f e r t h e e v o l u t i o n of a rock. M y o n l y o b j e c t i o n s t o t h i s fine c h a p t e r , t h e b e s t in t h e book, are that it might better have preceded the rock discussions, a n d t h a t too m u c h discussion is devoted to rather rare new lunar minerals w i t h o u t r e a l l y c o m i n g t o grips w i t h t h e i r significance. C h a p t e r 4 is a good p r i m e r o n t h e g e o c h e m i c a l classification of e l e m e n t s a n d o n t h e significance of e l e m e n t a l a b u n d a n c e s . T h e l u n a r d a t a is simultaneously put into the proper geochemical c o n t e x t . Similarly, C h a p t e r 5 t r e a t s t h e bioscience a n d organic m a t t e r . T h i s c h a p t e r h a s special u t i l i t y to t h o s e of u s w h o were too b o g g e d d o w n in i n o r g a n i c a n a l y s e s sessions t o a t t e n d organic p a p e r s a t t h e Conferences. C h a p t e r 6, P e t r o l o g y , c o n c e n t r a t e s o n experim e n t a l s t u d i e s a n d t h e origin of t h e m a r e b a s a l t s . I t is r e a d a b l e , a n d concise. T h e pres e n t a t i o n is s i m p l e y e t t e c h n i c a l l y sufficient for t h e e d u c a t e d l a y reader. T h e discussion in C h a p t e r 7 of ages of l u n a r rocks, isotope studies, cosmic r a y a n d solar w i n d effects is s e n s i b l y well w r i t t e n b u t is m a r r e d b y a v e r y p o o r section o n ages. T h e c h r o n o l o g y discussion does n o t clearly dist i n g u i s h for t h e l a y r e a d e r b e t w e e n i n t e r n a l i s o c h r o n ages a n d whole rock ages. T h e c o n c e p t of i n i t i a l SrsT/SrS6 is n o t e l u c i d a t e d . T h e r e are, in a d d i t i o n , m i s t a k e s , e.g., in t h e discussion of t h e Ar40-Ar 39 ages, t h e t e x t s t a t e s (p. 166) " D u r i n g h e a t i n g of t h e s a m p l e to release t h e a r g o n . . . t h e A r a ° / A r 39 r a t i o will d e c r e a s e as t h e m o r e r e t e n t i v e sites release a r g o n . " I n t h e o r y a n d in practice, t h e r a t i o increases. T h e t r e a t m e n t of p h y s i c a l p r o p e r t i e s is a p p r o p r i a t e l y b r i e f a n d suffers p r o p o r t i o n a l l y m o r e t h a n t h e r e s t of t h e b o o k b y t h e lack of p o s t - A p o l l o 11 d a t a . T h e discussion of m a s c o n s is h u r t b y t h e g e n e r a l l a c k of reference t o o t h e r t h a n s a m p l e i n v e s t i g a t o r s a n d geologists as t h e good t r e a t m e n t s of t h e m a s c o n p r o b l e m h a v e consistently been in the geophysical literature. A c h a p t e r o n t h e Origin of t h e M o o n ( C h a p t e r 9) is a l w a y s a good w a y t o e n d a book. I t p u t s o n e b a c k i n t o a frivolous m o o d a n d h e l p s t o g e n e r a t e d r e a m s of d e c i p h e r i n g t h e cosmic secrets. O n b a l a n c e , Moon Rocks and Minerals is a d i s a p p o i n t m e n t . I t s inaccuracies, i n c o m p l e t e -

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ness, a n d p o o r o r g a n i z a t i o n all p o i n t s t o its b e i n g a n effort a c c o m p l i s h e d i n m i n i m a l t i m e . I t is so o u t d a t e d t h a t i t is of l i t t l e v a l u e t o e i t h e r l a y m a n or e x p e r t . T h e m a n y errors s h o u l d n o t be propagated. Levinson did such a creditable j o b of e d i t i n g t h e Proceedings of the Apollo 11 Lunar Science Conference t h a t i t is p a i n f u l to arrive at the harsh judgment that I cannot r e c o m m e n d t h e b o o k for a n y a u d i e n c e . T h e occasional glimpse one receives of e x c e l l e n t style and topic understanding lead me to e n c o u r a g e L e v i n s o n a n d T a y l o r t o w r i t e a good b o o k o n m o o n rocks in l a t e 1973 or e a r l y 1 9 7 4 a f t e r t h e h u s t l e a n d b u s t l e is over. NOEL W. HII~NERS

Apollo Lunar Exploration OJ~ce N A S A , Washington, D.C. 20546

The Radiating Atmosphere: Proceedings of a Symposium organized by the Summer Advanced Study Institute, held at Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, August 3-14, 1970. Edited by B. M. McCoRMAC. D. Reidel, Dordrecht-Holland, 1971. ix + 455 pp. $32.00. I n t h e 1950's r e s e a r c h o n t h e a u r o r a a n d airglow u n d e r w e n t a renaissance, m o r e t h r o u g h t h e financial s t i m u l a t i o n of t h e U.S. A i r F o r c e t h a n t h e I G Y (which p r o b a b l y h a d m o r e effect in s t i m u l a t i n g r e s e a r c h i n t h e less w e a l t h y countries). I n t e r n a t i o n a l conferences d e v o t e d exclusively to a u r o r a a n d airglow were h e l d r a t h e r f r e q u e n t l y ( L o n d o n in 1947, Liege in 1951, L o n d o n (Ontario) i n 1954; B e l f a s t in I 9 5 5 ; P a r i s in 1962). Still, i n 1962 one A. D a l g a r n o could s t a t e in a r e v i e w of a c e r t a i n m o n o g r a p h t h a t " . . . t h e physics of t h e a u r o r a a n d airglow is t o o specialized to w a r r a n t a m a j or t e x t b o o k . . . " T o d a y , r e s e a r c h in t h i s field shows n o signs of slowing d o w n . P a r t l y t h i s is m e r e l y t h e m o m e n t u m of m o t i o n : t h e y o u n g T u r k s w h o r e v i t a l i z e d t h e s u b j e c t in t h e 1950's are n o w c o m f o r t a b l e professors w i t h s t u d e n t s . B u t also t h e r e h a v e b e e n n e w a r e a s o p e n e d w i t h r o c k e t a n d satellite r e s e a r c h a n d all m a n n e r of s o p h i s t i c a t e d i n s t r u m e n t a t i o n . T h e d a y t i m e airglow h a s b e c o m e a n i m p o r t a n t r e s e a r c h tool, n o t only for o u r a t m o s p h e r e b u t for t h o s e of V e n u s a n d Mars as well. B u t t h e p h e n o m e n o n t h a t to m e " g e t s c u r i o u s e r a n d c u r i o u s e r " is h o w Billy M c C o r m a c p e r e n n i a l l y (1966 a t S t a f f o r d s h i r e ; 1968 a t A s ; 1969 a t S a n t a B a r b a r a ; 1970 a t K i n g s t o n - - 1 9 6 7 was p r e - e m p t e d b y t h e B i r k e l a n d a u r o r a l s y m p o s i u m a t S a n d e f j o r d ) m a n a g e s to a s s e m b l e