Search Publications
Olivine-bearing lithologies on the Moon: Constraints on origins and transport mechanisms from M3 spectroscopy, radiative transfer modeling, and GRAIL crustal thickness
Corley, Laura M.; McGovern, Patrick J.; Kramer, Georgiana Y. +8 more
High-resolution hyperspectral data from Chandrayaan-1's Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) allow detection of olivine on the lunar surface. Olivine exposed at the surface may originate as mantle material or igneous products (intrusive or extrusive). Potential transport mechanisms include excavation of the mantle or lower crustal material by im…
Iron distribution of the Moon observed by the Kaguya gamma-ray spectrometer: Geological implications for the South Pole-Aitken basin, the Orientale basin, and the Tycho crater
Wöhler, C.; Ohtake, M.; Berezhnoy, A. A. +5 more
In this study we describe the distribution of iron on the Moon as obtained by the Kaguya high energy resolution gamma-ray spectrometer (KGRS). We achieved for the first time the identification of iron based on the fast neutron flux obtained by the KGRS. The iron distribution obtained by KGRS is compared to that of the Lunar Prospector Gamma-Ray Sp…
Compositional studies of Mare Moscoviense: New perspectives from Chandrayaan-1 VIS-NIR data
Bhatt, Megha; Mall, Urs; Bhardwaj, Anil +5 more
Moscoviense is one of the prominent mare-filled basin on the lunar far side holding key insights about volcanic activity on the far side. Here, we present spectral and elemental maps of mare Moscoviense, using the Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) and Infrared Spectrometer-2 (SIR-2) data-sets. The different mare units are mapped based on thei…
Evidence for impact melt sheets in lunar highland smooth plains and implications for polar landing sites
Weitz, Catherine M.; Whitten, Jennifer L.; Campbell, Bruce A. +1 more
Smooth plains units attributed to fluidized basin ejecta occur over much of the lunar highlands. We examined 4-20 km diameter Imbrian- and Eratosthenian-period craters in the southern highlands that have high 12.6-cm wavelength radar backscatter and circular polarization ratios associated with their interior walls but not with their proximal eject…