Falling Objects and Dust Particles' Motion in the "Collecting Lunar Rock on the Buster Crater" Sequence of the Apollo XVI Footage

This manuscript develops and integrates the previous studies “_ANALYTICAL METHODS FOR TRACKING BODIES MOTIONS ON THE LUNAR SURFACE IN APOLLO XVI FOOTAGE_” https://doi.org/10.32388/IA8MXE.2 and “_BALLISTIC MOTION OF DUST PARTICLES IN THE “COLLECTING THE BIG MULEY LUNAR ROCK” SEQUENCE OF THE APOLLO XVI FOOTAGE”_ https://doi.org/10.32388/COXHKG.2 in order to introduce a robust analytical method to trace and analyze the movement of dust shot during the Apollo XVI mission on the lunar surface. By employing both 2D and 3D analysis techniques, we aim to provide a detailed comparison of the observed kinematic events against theoretical models. The paper extends a previous work focused on the kinematics of lunar dust utilizing footage from the “Grand Prix” sequence of the Apollo XVI mission "Ballistic motion of dust particles in the Lunar Roving Vehicle dust trails" published in 2012 in the American Journal of Physics by Mihaly Horanyi and Hsiang-Wen Hsu: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258468670 [Ann. 1 [https://www.apollolab.eu/tcc/wp-content/uploads/2020/TAXVIF/Annexes/01_AJP_2012.pdf] – Ann. 2 [https://www.apollolab.eu/tcc/wp-content/uploads/2020/TAXVIF/Annexes/02_roostertail.zip]]. In this further analysis, a sequence in which the astronaut Charles Duke collects the Cataclastic Anorthosite 62275 is tracked. There are three significant events that can be traced in this sequence: the vertical fall of a sample bag, the following fall of the Lunar Rock Bags Dispenser and the upward launch of the rock sample that the astronaut is trying to collect. In this last part of the sequence, together with the rock sample, is also possible to trace a certain quantity of lunar dust which is launched with the same initial speed of the rock. By tracking the falling bodies and the lunar dust, we obtain information about the validity of the expected motion models and about the environment in which the kinematic events occurred.