APOLLO 17 AS 17-137-20990 - Shorty Crater and the Lunar "Orange Soil"

Dall'Apollo Lunar Surface Journal - Mission Summary -, di Eric M. Jones:"(...)
The patch of orange seemed to form a band that ran parallel to the rim of the crater and as Schmitt dug a trench across the band, it became evident that, under a thin layer of altered surface soil, the ground was a deep red at the center of the band, fading to orange toward the edge. By the time Schmitt had finished the trench, Cernan had finished dusting the TV camera - so that Houston could have a good look - and arrived with the gnomon and a supply of sample bags. The gnomon was a lovely little device consisting of a free-swinging staff mounted on a tripod base (...) On Earth, orange or rust-colored rocks and soil around volcanic vents are often the result of literal rusting of iron by volcanic water vapor. If this was the cause of the orange soil at Shorty then, small amounts of volcanic gasses might still be present (on the Moon)...".