Geologic maps of the Taurus-Littrow region of the Moon Apollo 17 pre-mission maps

The Taurus-Littrow region is mainly a highland area at the juncture of Mare Serenitatis and Mare Tranquillitatis (Scott and Pohn, 1972). Highland materials cover most of the area, forming a group or rugged massifs close to the center of the map and more subdued terrain to the east. The highland units (pItm, IpIh) are probably mostly breccias formed by the Serenitatis impact and pre-existing breccias excavated by this event. Younger Crisium and Imbrium ejecta may also be present but cannot be distinguished. To the west and southwest materials typical of lunar maria, almost certainly basalts, encroach upon and embay the highland terrain. Also in the west is a unit of special interest, a relatively young, usually dark material that mantles both terra and mare. It is draped over a wide variety of terrains in much of the western half of the map area and is interpreted as pyroclastic volcanics. The Apollo 17 site lies on this dark mantling material where it covers an embayment of mare materials between upland massifs. At this locality, therefore, relatively young volcanic can be samples as well as the ancient deposits that form the highland massifs.