Lunar Environment

1993 ◽  
Vol 46 (6) ◽  
pp. 278-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lajpat R. Utreja
Keyword(s):  
Lunar Surface ◽  
Surface Characteristics ◽  
Major Elements ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
The Moon ◽  
Test Bed ◽  
Physical Constants ◽  
Geochemical Properties ◽  
Lunar Environment ◽  
Natural Test

As one of the key elements of the Space Exploration Initiative, the Moon provides a waypoint for scientific exploration and travel to Mars. The Moon’s stable ground in the vacuum of space is an ideal platform for astronomical observatories. Conditions on the Moon are similar to what human beings will face on other planets, so it is a natural test bed to prepare for a manned mission to Mars. A knowledge of the lunar environment is therefore important before undertaking any missions of construction, operations, and habitation on the lunar surface. The purpose of this paper is to review and assemble information on the lunar environment so that engineers and scientists can refer to this as they begin lunar-based engineering studies. The lunar environment is categorized into three major elements: lunar physical constants, lunar atmosphere, and lunar surface. The description of lunar size, orientation, period of rotation, and lunar month are all treated as part of lunar physical constants. Lunar atmosphere includes gas composition, pressure and density, solar flux and radiation, micrometeorite flux, and lunar dust. The geophysical and geochemical properties are provided as lunar surface characteristics. The geophysical properties include terrain characteristics, topography and surface tremors; soil and rock characteristics; mechanical, thermal, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties. The chemical composition of the regolith and rocks are described in geochemical properties.

Chemical composition of the Moon's 'primary' crust – a clue at a terrestrial origin

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Audrey Vorburger ◽  
Peter Wurz ◽  
Manuel Scherf ◽  
Helmut Lammer ◽  
André Galli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lunar Surface ◽  
Major Elements ◽  
The Moon ◽  
Lunar Crust ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Origin And Evolution ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Terrestrial Origin ◽  
In The Beginning

<p>The Moon is one of the best characterized objects in space science, yet its origin still actively researched. Available orbital, geophysical, and geochemical information imposes clear restrictions on the origin and evolution of the Earth-Moon system (e.g., Canup 2008, 2012; Ćuk and Stewart 2012; Young et al. 2016). In regard to geochemical constraints, one of the most puzzling conundrums is posed by the similar isotopic fingerprints of the Earth and the Moon (e.g., Wiechert et al. 2001; Armytage et al. 2012; Zhang et al. 2012; Young et al. 2016; Schiller et al. 2018), together with the apparent lunar depletion in volatile elements (e.g., Ringwood and Kesson 1977; Wanke et al. 1977; Albarède et al. 2015; Taylor 2014). This apparent lunar volatile depletion is most notable in the low K content in comparison to U, a finding based on chemical analyses of samples collected from the lunar surface and lunar meteorites, and on spectroscopic observations of the lunar near-surface, despite both having been heavily processed in the past ~ 4.4 billion years.</p><p>In the past 4.4 billion years, space has been a harsh environment for our Moon, especially in the beginning, when the young Sun was still very active and the young Moon was continuously bombarded by meteorites of varying sizes. Solar wind and micro-meteoritic interactions with the lunar surface led to rapid and intensive processing of the lunar crust. Hence, the K/U depletion trend observable on today's lunar surface does not necessarily reflect a K/U ratio valid for the Moon in its entirety. We model the evolution of the abundances of the major elements over the past 4.3 to 4.4 billion years to derive the composition of the original lunar crust. Accounting for this processing, our model results show that the original crust is much less depleted in volatiles than the surface observable today, exhibiting a K/U ratio compatible with Earth and the other terrestrial planets, which strengthens the theory of a terrestrial origin for the Moon.</p>

A mission proposal for understanding the origin of the lunar water: Scientific concept of the SELPHIE Mission

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshifumi Futaana ◽  
Stas Barabash ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Wind ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
Mass Spectrometer ◽  
Lunar Surface ◽  
Cold Trap ◽  
Scientific Concept ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
The Moon ◽  
Baseline Design ◽  
Impact Experiments

<p>We are approaching a new era of space exploration: Utilization of our Moon for Human Beings. Intensive international efforts targeting human activities on the Moon have been initiated, and developed drastically in this decade. The revolution enabling the activities was the discovery of water at the Moon. We envisage utilizing the water for Lunar surface activities, as well as for explorations to farther Deep Space destinations.</p><p>Although multiple datasets have revealed the existence of Lunar water, fundamental scientific questions remain unanswered: Where has the surface and cold trap waters come from? What are the relative roles between solar wind protons and delivery from space for the Lunar surface water? What is the role of transportation of surface water to cold traps? This is the problem area that the SELPHIE (Surface, Exosphere, and Lunar Polar Hydration with Impact Experiments) mission is to reveal. The top-level science question of SELPHIE is "How is the lunar surface water delivered or produced, transported, and accumulated in cold traps?"</p><p>The baseline design of the SELPHIE mission is composed of six scientific sensors (three remote sensing and three in situ sensors) together with two impact experiments: An infrared spectrometer, visible camera, energetic neutral atom telescope, neutral mass spectrometer, solar wind monitor, and dust detector.  These sensors are operated from a 3-axis stabilized SELPHIE orbiter to reveal the comprehensive picture of the lunar water cycle. Two impact experiments (two identical systems, enabling two independent experiments) will be executed to reveal the source of water under cold traps. Each impact experiment contains a 6U cubesat and a small impactor (4 kg). The impactor will impact to a permanently shadowed crater to make ejecta. The cubesat will sound the plume by mass spectrometer and camera.</p><p>The norminal mission period is for 8-12 months, under the quasi-stationary polar orbit of the Moon (30-200 km altitudes). The pericenter is above the South Pole. The total mass of 600 kg (dry mass) with 61 kg payload mass is the baseline, while a further mass reduction could also be foreseen. The total cost, without payload developement, is within the ESA's F-class mission cost cap (150 MEuro).</p>

A Photographic Map of the Moon

1962 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 113-115
Author(s):  
D. W. G. Arthur ◽  
E. A. Whitaker
Keyword(s):  
Lunar Surface ◽  
The Moon ◽  
Map Projection

The cartography of the lunar surface can be split into two operations which can be carried on quite independently. The first, which is also the most laborious, is the interpretation of the lunar photographs into the symbolism of the map, with the addition of fine details from telescopic sketches. An example of this kind of work is contained in Johann Krieger'sMond Atlaswhich consists of photographic enlargements in which Krieger has sharpened up the detail to accord with his telescopic impressions. Krieger did not go on either to convert the photographic picture into the line symbolism of a map, or to place this picture on any definite map projection.

Chimeras In Time-Honored Societies

Think India ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 463-466
Author(s):  
TUMMALA. SAI MAMATA
Keyword(s):  
Major Elements ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Life Changes ◽  
Inner Self ◽  
The World ◽  
Nature And Nurture ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Right ◽  
Superstitious Beliefs

A river flows serenely accepting all the miseries and happiness that it comes across its journey. A tree releases oxygen for human beings despite its inner plights. The sun is never tired of its duty and gives sunlight without any interruption. Why are all these elements of nature so tuned to? Education is knowledge. Knowledge comes from learning. Learning happens through experience. Familiarity is the master of life that shapes the individual. Every individual learns from nature. Nature teaches how to sustain, withdraw and advocate the prevailing situations. Some dwell into the deep realities of nature and nurture as ideal human beings. Life is a puzzle. How to solve it is a million dollar question that can never be answered so easily. The perception of life changes from individual to individual making them either physically powerful or feeble. Society is not made of only individuals. Along with individuals it has nature, emotions, spiritual powers and superstitious beliefs which bind them. Among them the most crucial and alarming is the emotions which are interrelated to others. Alone the emotional intelligence is going to guide the life of an individual. For everyone there is an inner self which makes them conscious of their deeds. The guiding force should always force the individual to choose the right path.  Writers are the powerful people who have rightly guided the society through their ingenious pen outs.  The present article is going to focus on how the major elements bound together are dominating the individual’s self through Rabindranath Tagore’s Home and the World (1916)

Future lunar missions and investigation of dusty plasma processes on the Moon

2013 ◽  
Vol 79 (4) ◽  
pp. 405-411 ◽  
Author(s):  
SERGEY I. POPEL ◽  
LEV M. ZELENYI
Keyword(s):  
Dusty Plasma ◽  
Lunar Surface ◽  
Dust Particles ◽  
Maximum Height ◽  
Charged Dust ◽  
The Moon ◽  
Plasma System ◽  
Lunar Dust ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Dusty Plasma System

AbstractFrom the Apollo era of exploration, it was discovered that sunlight was scattered at the terminators giving rise to “horizon glow” and “streamers” above the lunar surface. Subsequent investigations have shown that the sunlight was most likely scattered by electrostatically charged dust grains originating from the surface. A renaissance is being observed currently in investigations of the Moon. The Luna-Glob and Luna-Resource missions (the latter jointly with India) are being prepared in Russia. Some of these missions will include investigations of lunar dust. Here we discuss the future experimental investigations of lunar dust within the missions of Luna-Glob and Luna-Resource. We consider the dusty plasma system over the lunar surface and determine the maximum height of dust rise. We describe mechanisms of formation of the dusty plasma system over the Moon and its main properties, determine distributions of electrons and dust over the lunar surface, and show a possibility of rising dust particles over the surface of the illuminated part of the Moon in the entire range of lunar latitudes. Finally, we discuss the effect of condensation of micrometeoriod substance during the expansion of the impact plume and show that this effect is important from the viewpoint of explanation of dust particle rise to high altitudes in addition to the dusty plasma effects.

scholarly journals Back to the Moon: The scientific rationale for resuming lunar surface exploration

2012 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
I.A. Crawford ◽  
M. Anand ◽  
C.S. Cockell ◽  
H. Falcke ◽  
D.A. Green ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lunar Surface ◽  
The Moon ◽  
Surface Exploration ◽  
Scientific Rationale

X-ray fluorescence observations of the moon by SMART-1/D-CIXS and the first detection of Ti Kα from the lunar surface

2009 ◽  
Vol 57 (7) ◽  
pp. 744-750 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.M. Swinyard ◽  
K.H. Joy ◽  
B.J. Kellett ◽  
I.A. Crawford ◽  
M. Grande ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lunar Surface ◽  
The Moon ◽  
X Ray

scholarly journals 2.2.4 Lunar Soil Movement Registered by the Apollo 17 Cosmic Dust Experiment

1976 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
pp. 233-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Otto E. Berg ◽  
Henry Wolf ◽  
John Rhee
Keyword(s):  
Lunar Surface ◽  
Lunar Soil ◽  
Cosmic Dust ◽  
Dust Particles ◽  
The Moon ◽  
Normal Impact ◽  
Soil Movement ◽  
Impact Parameters

In December, 1973, a Lunar Ejecta and Meteorites (LEAM) experiment was placed in the Taurus-Littrow area of the moon by the Apollo 17 Astronauts. Objectives of the experiment were centered around measurements of impact parameters of cosmic dust on the lunar surface. During preliminary attempts to analyze the data it became evident that the events registered by the sensors could not be attributed to cosmic dust but could only be identified with the lunar surface and the local sun angle. The nature of these data coupled with post-flight studies of instrument characteristics, have led to a conclusion that the LEAM experiment is responding primarily to a flux of highly charged, slowly moving lunar surface fines. Undoubtedly concealed in these data is the normal impact activity from cosmic dust and probably lunar ejecta, as well. This paper is based on the recognition that the bulk of events registered by the LEAM experiment are not signatures of hypervelocity cosmic dust particles, as expected, but are induced signatures of electrostatically charged and transported lunar fines.

scholarly journals MINERAL MAPPING USING CHANDRAYAAN-1 HYPERSPECTRAL (HYSI) DATA FROM MARE VAPORUM

2018 ◽  
Vol XLII-5 ◽  
pp. 339-344
Author(s):  
S. B. Sayyad ◽  
Z. R. Mohammed ◽  
R. R. Deshmukh
Keyword(s):  
Spectral Analysis ◽  
Lunar Surface ◽  
Imaging Spectroscopy ◽  
The Moon ◽  
Remotely Sensed Data ◽  
Mineral Mapping ◽  
Crustal Composition ◽  
False Color ◽  
Color Composite ◽  
Surface Mineralogy

<p><strong>Abstract.</strong> The imaging spectroscopy offers an opportunity to map and discriminate different minerals on the lunar surface which further helps to understand the origin, evolution process, and the crustal composition on the surface of the moon. Compositional mapping of the lunar surface is considered as a standard approach for mineral mapping. This paper reports surface mineralogy of the lunar surface from Mare Vaporum using Chandrayaan-1 Hyperspectral remotely sensed data from HySi sensor. False color composite is created using different band shaping algorithms like band strength; band curve and band tilt parameters at crucial wavelength for spatial analysis. The Spectral analysis has been done by deriving reflectance spectra at varying locations from the area under study. The Study shows the mineral map with different categories of minerals which are high-Ca pyroxene and/or olivine and low Ca-pyroxene. However because of the limited spectral coverage of HySi, data at the longer wavelengths required to discriminate among different group of minerals.</p>

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