Computer Science
Scientific paper
Nov 1993
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1993adspr..13...71s&link_type=abstract
Advances in Space Research, Volume 13, Issue 11, p. 71-78.
Computer Science
Scientific paper
A potentially important component to future space programs is the identification of material resources on the surface or at near surface depths of the Moon, Mars and Asteroids. Such an enabling technology would provide for rapid and accurate appraisal of the space body including locations of the highest concentrate of critical materials. This would allow for optimization of settlement sites and ultimately industrialization of each solar system object in a space commerce. MDSSC has conceived and is in the process of developing a new technique to implement this using neutron sources. The neutrons excite the near surface isotopes into isomer states. Their relaxation produces prompt gamma rays of characteristic energies to accurately determine the presence of the various isotopes and their abundances as well as the spatial profiles of the resources. The relative abundances of the various isotopes of a given element gives valuable data to test scientific theories of the space bodies origin. The method appears to be able to identify all elements of Z>=3. Elements with Z<=2 can be accompanied by observation of the characteristic gamma ray accompanying thermal neutron capture.
Fay Theodore D.
Schneider Stephan
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