Signatures of volatiles in the lunar proton albedo

N. A. Schwadron; J. K. Wilson; M. D. Looper; A. P. Jordan; H. E. Spence; J. B. Blake; A. W. Case; Y. Iwata; J. C. Kasper; W. M. Farrell; D. J. Lawrence; G. Livadiotis; J. Mazur; N. Petro; C. Pieters; Mark Robinson; S. Smith; L. W. Townsend; C. Zeitlin

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2015.12.003

Signatures of volatiles in the lunar proton albedo

N. A. Schwadron, J. K. Wilson, M. D. Looper, A. P. Jordan, H. E. Spence, J. B. Blake, A. W. Case, Y. Iwata, J. C. Kasper, W. M. Farrell, D. J. Lawrence, G. Livadiotis, J. Mazur, N. Petro, C. Pieters, Mark Robinson, S. Smith, L. W. Townsend, C. Zeitlin

Earth and Space Exploration, School of (SESE)

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

21 Scopus citations

Abstract

We find evidence for hydrated material in the lunar regolith using "albedo protons" measured with the Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation (CRaTER) on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). Fluxes of these albedo protons, which are emitted from the regolith due to steady bombardment by high energy radiation (Galactic Cosmic Rays), are observed to peak near the poles, and are inconsistent with the latitude trends of heavy element enrichment (e.g., enhanced Fe abundance). The latitudinal distribution of albedo protons anti-correlates with that of epithermal or high energy neutrons. The high latitude enhancement may be due to the conversion of upward directed secondary neutrons from the lunar regolith into tertiary protons due to neutron-proton collisions in hydrated regolith that is more prevalent near the poles. The CRaTER instrument may thus provide important measurements of volatile distributions within regolith at the Moon and potentially, with similar sensors and observations, at other bodies within the Solar System.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	25-35
Number of pages	11
Journal	Icarus
Volume	273
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2015.12.003
State	Published - Jul 15 2016

Keywords

Cosmic rays
Ices
Moon
Moon, surface

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1016/j.icarus.2015.12.003

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Schwadron, N. A., Wilson, J. K., Looper, M. D., Jordan, A. P., Spence, H. E., Blake, J. B., Case, A. W., Iwata, Y., Kasper, J. C., Farrell, W. M., Lawrence, D. J., Livadiotis, G., Mazur, J., Petro, N., Pieters, C., Robinson, M., Smith, S., Townsend, L. W., & Zeitlin, C. (2016). Signatures of volatiles in the lunar proton albedo. Icarus, 273, 25-35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2015.12.003

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title = "Signatures of volatiles in the lunar proton albedo",

abstract = "We find evidence for hydrated material in the lunar regolith using {"}albedo protons{"} measured with the Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation (CRaTER) on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). Fluxes of these albedo protons, which are emitted from the regolith due to steady bombardment by high energy radiation (Galactic Cosmic Rays), are observed to peak near the poles, and are inconsistent with the latitude trends of heavy element enrichment (e.g., enhanced Fe abundance). The latitudinal distribution of albedo protons anti-correlates with that of epithermal or high energy neutrons. The high latitude enhancement may be due to the conversion of upward directed secondary neutrons from the lunar regolith into tertiary protons due to neutron-proton collisions in hydrated regolith that is more prevalent near the poles. The CRaTER instrument may thus provide important measurements of volatile distributions within regolith at the Moon and potentially, with similar sensors and observations, at other bodies within the Solar System.",

keywords = "Cosmic rays, Ices, Moon, Moon, surface",

author = "Schwadron, {N. A.} and Wilson, {J. K.} and Looper, {M. D.} and Jordan, {A. P.} and Spence, {H. E.} and Blake, {J. B.} and Case, {A. W.} and Y. Iwata and Kasper, {J. C.} and Farrell, {W. M.} and Lawrence, {D. J.} and G. Livadiotis and J. Mazur and N. Petro and C. Pieters and Mark Robinson and S. Smith and Townsend, {L. W.} and C. Zeitlin",

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doi = "10.1016/j.icarus.2015.12.003",

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T1 - Signatures of volatiles in the lunar proton albedo

AU - Schwadron, N. A.

AU - Wilson, J. K.

AU - Looper, M. D.

AU - Jordan, A. P.

AU - Spence, H. E.

AU - Blake, J. B.

AU - Case, A. W.

AU - Iwata, Y.

AU - Kasper, J. C.

AU - Farrell, W. M.

AU - Lawrence, D. J.

AU - Livadiotis, G.

AU - Mazur, J.

AU - Petro, N.

AU - Pieters, C.

AU - Robinson, Mark

AU - Smith, S.

AU - Townsend, L. W.

AU - Zeitlin, C.

PY - 2016/7/15

Y1 - 2016/7/15

N2 - We find evidence for hydrated material in the lunar regolith using "albedo protons" measured with the Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation (CRaTER) on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). Fluxes of these albedo protons, which are emitted from the regolith due to steady bombardment by high energy radiation (Galactic Cosmic Rays), are observed to peak near the poles, and are inconsistent with the latitude trends of heavy element enrichment (e.g., enhanced Fe abundance). The latitudinal distribution of albedo protons anti-correlates with that of epithermal or high energy neutrons. The high latitude enhancement may be due to the conversion of upward directed secondary neutrons from the lunar regolith into tertiary protons due to neutron-proton collisions in hydrated regolith that is more prevalent near the poles. The CRaTER instrument may thus provide important measurements of volatile distributions within regolith at the Moon and potentially, with similar sensors and observations, at other bodies within the Solar System.

AB - We find evidence for hydrated material in the lunar regolith using "albedo protons" measured with the Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation (CRaTER) on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). Fluxes of these albedo protons, which are emitted from the regolith due to steady bombardment by high energy radiation (Galactic Cosmic Rays), are observed to peak near the poles, and are inconsistent with the latitude trends of heavy element enrichment (e.g., enhanced Fe abundance). The latitudinal distribution of albedo protons anti-correlates with that of epithermal or high energy neutrons. The high latitude enhancement may be due to the conversion of upward directed secondary neutrons from the lunar regolith into tertiary protons due to neutron-proton collisions in hydrated regolith that is more prevalent near the poles. The CRaTER instrument may thus provide important measurements of volatile distributions within regolith at the Moon and potentially, with similar sensors and observations, at other bodies within the Solar System.

KW - Cosmic rays

KW - Ices

KW - Moon

KW - Moon, surface

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JO - Icarus

JF - Icarus

ER -

Signatures of volatiles in the lunar proton albedo

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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