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Lunar soil
About: Lunar soil is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 2412 publications have been published within this topic receiving 41801 citations.
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TL;DR: In this paper, the concept of 3D printing technology for building habitats on the Moon using lunar soil, also called regolith, has been evaluated using a particular patented 3D-printing technology, which is the closest to achieving full scale construction of buildings and the physical and chemical characteristics of lunar regolith and terrestrial regolith simulants have been assessed with respect to the working principles of such technology.
523 citations
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TL;DR: The concept of primeval KREEP, a magma residuum hypothetically produced early in lunar history by fractional distillation of the global magma ocean which hypothetically created the lunar crust, is used to explain the origin of Kreky lunar rocks.
Abstract: The concept of 'urKREEP' (primeval KREEP), a magma residuum hypothetically produced early in lunar history by fractional distillation of the global magma ocean which hypothetically created the lunar crust, is used to explain the origin of KREEPy lunar rocks. The incompatible-rich last dregs of the magma ocean left their trace in the form of incompatible patterns that show no relative fractionation from site to site on the moon and that, with the exception of minor fractionals in two pristine clasts, are the same in pristine samples as in breccias. The high concentration on the lunar surface of these urKREEP remnants demands a high efficiency in upward transport of the incompatibles. This transport may have been enhanced by urKREEP's presumably low density and by high temperatures produced by radioactive decay in the K-, U-, and Th-rich residuum.
436 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a linear spectral mixing is used to model the observed gamma ray spectrum for each map pixel and the spectral shape for each elemental constituent is determined by a Monte Carlo radiation transport calculation.
Abstract: [1] Gamma ray spectroscopy data acquired by Lunar Prospector are used to determine global maps of the elemental composition of the lunar surface. Maps of the abundance of major oxides, MgO, Al2O3, SiO2, CaO, TiO2, and FeO, and trace incompatible elements, K and Th, are presented along with their geochemical interpretation. Linear spectral mixing is used to model the observed gamma ray spectrum for each map pixel. The spectral shape for each elemental constituent is determined by a Monte Carlo radiation transport calculation. Linearization of the mixing model is accomplished by scaling the spectral shapes with lunar surface parameters determined by neutron spectroscopy, including the number density of neutrons slowing down within the surface and the effective atomic mass of the surface materials. The association of the highlands with the feldspathic lunar meteorites is used to calibrate the mixing model and to determine backgrounds. A linear least squares approach is used to unmix measured spectra to determine the composition of each map pixel. The present analysis uses new gamma ray production cross sections for neutron interactions, resulting in improved accuracy compared to results previously submitted to the Planetary Data System. Systematic variations in lunar composition determined by the spectral unmixing analysis are compared with the lunar soil sample and meteorite collections. Significant results include improved accuracy for the abundance of Th and K in the highlands; identification of large regions, including western Procellarum, that are not well represented by the sample collection; and the association of relatively high concentrations of Mg with KREEP-rich regions on the lunar nearside, which may have implications for the concept of an early magma ocean.
378 citations
TL;DR: The examination of glasses from all of the Apollo landing sites has led to the identification of 25 groups of pristine glass as mentioned in this paper and the nickel found in these glasses is shown to be indigenous, not meteoritic contamination, and to be correlated with Mg.
Abstract: The examination of glasses from all of the Apollo landing sites has led to the identification of 25 groups of pristine glass. The nickel found in these glasses is shown to be indigenous, not meteoritic contamination, and to be correlated with Mg. Chemical data indicate that these glasses are more suitable for primary magma than most crystalline mare basalts. In addition, these pristine glasses support the view that assimilative processes involving two cumulative systems in the differentiated mantle operated during mare petrogenesis. Two linear arrays found among the chemistries of the glasses attest to the existence of these interactions. Data suggest that these cumulate components in the mantle continue for 1000 km (laterally) and therefore are likely to be products of a magma ocean that existed early in lunar history.
373 citations
TL;DR: In this article, transmission electron microscope analysis of the lunar soil grains from the fine size fraction of several lunar soils showed that most grains are surrounded by thin (60-200 nm thick) rims.
350 citations