Space/Science — HabitableZone

Space/Science

Uh oh lunar lunies (not just E.P.). Ambiguous result of Lunar Polar Ice?

From Alex Blackwell's post elsewhere;

Didn't read this but the abstract seems quite explicit.

Three newly posted papers in press with JGR-Planets:

Hodges, R. Richard
Reanalysis of Lunar Prospector neutron spectrometer observations over
the lunar poles
10.1029/2000JE001483
10 December 2002

Abstract

Components of the neutron energy spectrum measured by instruments on
the Lunar Prospector (LP) spacecraft have been optimistically
interpreted as indicating massive deposits of water ice or other
hydrogenic minerals in the polar regions of the Moon. An independent
reanalysis of the theory of leakage neutrons shows that in addition
to the observed depressions of the epithermal neutron flux the
signature of polar hydrogen in the lunar regolith would have included
a distinctive increase in the thermal neutron flux that apparently
was not detected. Other simulations of LP neutron data show that the
neutron signature of a mineralogical anomaly as simple as a localized
excess of silicate would be about the same as that of hydrogen. A
deficit of CaO would produce the LP result, that is, a decrease of
epithermal neutrons with no noticeable change in the thermal neutron
flux. Other more complicated mineral variants could yield similar
effects. What is clear is that the existence of polar water ice or
hydride deposits has not been proven by analyses of Lunar Prospector
data.

Log in or register to post.

The whole thread (10 posts)