Analysis of the behavior of the 3-µm absorptions in the M3 lunar reflectance observations and indications of OH sources and processes for airless bodies

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[5410] Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets / Composition, [5415] Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets / Erosion And Weathering, [5464] Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets / Remote Sensing, [5470] Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets / Surface Materials And Properties

Scientific paper

Absorptions in the 3-µm region of the lunar reflectance spectrum acquired by the Chandrayaan-1 Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) visual-IR imaging spectrometer were interpreted as indicating OH and H2O in the lunar soil (Pieters et al., 2009). Analysis of the dependence of these absorptions on the physical properties of the surface (i.e., temperature, composition, lighting geometry, latitude) was first reported by Pieters et al. (2009) and subsequently expanded (McCord et al., 2010). These dependences could be important in understanding the sources and processes concerning the OH and related molecules. A favored process is hydroxylation cause by solar wind proton implantation, and the behavior of the absorptions is consistent with this hypothesis, as will be presented. However, the incomplete M3 data set (contact was lost with the spacecraft prematurely) and removal of thermal emission (affects estimates of absorption strengths) are major complications. Thermal information from other sources, such as the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Diviner measurements (Paige et al., 2010) and subsequent models, and better knowledge of surface topography are aiding our analysis of the 3-µm absorptions strength and behavior with lunar conditions, as will be reported. More detailed investigation will help determine whether all the spectral features related to hydration are due to surficial processes only. Characterization of the formation, distribution and variations of OH and H2O on the Moon is key to understand interactions of any airless body’s surface with the space environment. Indeed, this study is also relevant for the preparation of orbital observations of the surface of Vesta by the Visible and Infrared (VIR) imaging spectrometer onboard the Dawn spacecraft (Russell et al., 2007) that will begin in summer 2011. References Pieters, C. M. and the M3 team (2009), Character and spatial distribution of OH/H2O on the surface of the Moon seen by M3 on Chandrayaan-1, Science 326, 568-572. McCord, T. B. et al. (2010), Sources and physical processes responsible for OH/H2O in the lunar soil discovered by the Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3): Possible space dew?, J. Geophys. Res., submitted. Paige et al. (2010), The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment, Space Science Reviews, 150, 125-160. Russell C. T. et al. (2007), Dawn Mission to Vesta and Ceres. Symbiosis between Terrestrial Observations and Robotic Exploration , Earth, Moon, and Planets 101, 65-91

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