Identification of lunar rock types and search for polar ice by gamma ray spectroscopy

Details Identification of lunar rock types and search for polar ice by gamma ray spectroscopy Identification of lunar rock types and search for polar ice by gamma ray spectroscopy

Jan 1990

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1990jgr....95..449m&link_type=abstract

Journal of Geophysical Research (ISSN 0148-0227), vol. 95, Jan. 10, 1990, p. 449-460. Research sponsored by DOE.

Physics

14

Gamma Ray Spectra, Ice, Lunar Composition, Lunar Rocks, Polar Regions, Satellite Observation, Gamma Ray Spectrometers, Satellite-Borne Instruments, Spin Stabilization, Moon, Polar Regions, Water Ice, Gamma Ray Methods, Spectroscopy, Design, Spacecraft Observations, Remote Sensing, Orbiters, Equipment, Surface, Mission Planning, Composition, Resources, Space, Exploration, Maria, Highlands, Trapping, Spacecraft, Lo Mission

Scientific paper

This paper examines the possibility of mapping the surface composition of the moon from an orbiting spin-stabilized spacecraft, using gamma ray spectroscopy and a cooled germanium solid-state device as a detector. A design for accommodating the germanium detector gamma ray spectrometer was devised, and the detection sensitivity was applied to typical lunar-rock compositions. For sets comprising nine highland and 16 mare types, the most useful elements were found to be Mg, Al, K, Ti, Fe, U, and Th. An analysis of the expected instrument response to the gamma ray and neutron fluxes of water ice indicated that a neutron mode added to the spectrometer will be more sensitive than the gamma ray mode to the possible presence of polar ice. It was calculated that, with a pair of selected neutron absorbers and a model which provides that 2.5 percent of the area above 75-deg latitude is occupied by trapping sites, the instrument will provide a 1-yr mission detection limit of 0.056 percent H2O by weight for each polar region.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Identification of lunar rock types and search for polar ice by gamma ray spectroscopy does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Identification of lunar rock types and search for polar ice by gamma ray spectroscopy, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Identification of lunar rock types and search for polar ice by gamma ray spectroscopy will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1563530