Permanent shadow in simple craters near the lunar poles

D. Ben J. Bussey; Paul G. Lucey; Donovan Steutel; Mark S. Robinson; Paul D. Spudis; Kay D. Edwards

doi:10.1029/2002GL016180

Permanent shadow in simple craters near the lunar poles

D. Ben J. Bussey, Paul G. Lucey, Donovan Steutel, Mark S. Robinson, Paul D. Spudis, Kay D. Edwards

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

63 Scopus citations

Abstract

An analysis of simple craters in the lunar polar regions has produced new values for the minimum amount of permanent shadow in these areas, 7500 km² and 6500 km², for the north and south pole respectively. These values were obtained by conducting illumination simulations of realistically shaped simple craters, <20 km in diameter, to investigate the size and latitudinal extent of permanently shadowed regions near the lunar poles. Craters as far as 20° from the pole still contain significant amounts of permanent shadow. Larger simple craters have slightly more relative permanent shadow than smaller craters. Seasonal effects are independent of crater size and latitude, with a crater having 15% more of its interior shadowed during a lunar day in winter than in summer.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	11-1 - 11-4
Journal	Geophysical Research Letters
Volume	30
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2002GL016180
State	Published - Mar 15 2003
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Geophysics
General Earth and Planetary Sciences

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10.1029/2002GL016180

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abstract = "An analysis of simple craters in the lunar polar regions has produced new values for the minimum amount of permanent shadow in these areas, 7500 km2 and 6500 km2, for the north and south pole respectively. These values were obtained by conducting illumination simulations of realistically shaped simple craters, <20 km in diameter, to investigate the size and latitudinal extent of permanently shadowed regions near the lunar poles. Craters as far as 20° from the pole still contain significant amounts of permanent shadow. Larger simple craters have slightly more relative permanent shadow than smaller craters. Seasonal effects are independent of crater size and latitude, with a crater having 15% more of its interior shadowed during a lunar day in winter than in summer.",

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T1 - Permanent shadow in simple craters near the lunar poles

AU - Bussey, D. Ben J.

AU - Lucey, Paul G.

AU - Steutel, Donovan

AU - Robinson, Mark S.

AU - Spudis, Paul D.

AU - Edwards, Kay D.

PY - 2003/3/15

Y1 - 2003/3/15

N2 - An analysis of simple craters in the lunar polar regions has produced new values for the minimum amount of permanent shadow in these areas, 7500 km2 and 6500 km2, for the north and south pole respectively. These values were obtained by conducting illumination simulations of realistically shaped simple craters, <20 km in diameter, to investigate the size and latitudinal extent of permanently shadowed regions near the lunar poles. Craters as far as 20° from the pole still contain significant amounts of permanent shadow. Larger simple craters have slightly more relative permanent shadow than smaller craters. Seasonal effects are independent of crater size and latitude, with a crater having 15% more of its interior shadowed during a lunar day in winter than in summer.

AB - An analysis of simple craters in the lunar polar regions has produced new values for the minimum amount of permanent shadow in these areas, 7500 km2 and 6500 km2, for the north and south pole respectively. These values were obtained by conducting illumination simulations of realistically shaped simple craters, <20 km in diameter, to investigate the size and latitudinal extent of permanently shadowed regions near the lunar poles. Craters as far as 20° from the pole still contain significant amounts of permanent shadow. Larger simple craters have slightly more relative permanent shadow than smaller craters. Seasonal effects are independent of crater size and latitude, with a crater having 15% more of its interior shadowed during a lunar day in winter than in summer.

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Permanent shadow in simple craters near the lunar poles

Abstract

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