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Do Bare Rocks Exist on the Moon?Astronaut surface observations and close-up images at the Apollo and Chang'e 1 landing sites confirm that at least some lunar rocks have no discernable dust cover. However, ALSEP (Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package) measurements as well as astronaut and LADEE (Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer) orbital observations and laboratory experiments possibly suggest that a fine fraction of dust is levitated and moves across and above the lunar surface. Over millions of years such dust might be expected to coat all exposed rock surfaces. This study uses thermal modeling, combined with Diviner (a Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter experiment) orbital lunar eclipse temperature data, to further document the existence of bare rocks on the lunar surface.
Document ID
20170001521
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Allen, Carlton
(NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Bandfield, Joshua
(Space Science Inst. Boulder, CO, United States)
Greenhagen, Benjamin
(Johns Hopkins Univ. Laurel, MD, United States)
Hayne, Paul
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Leader, Frank
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Paige, David
(California Univ. Los Angeles, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
February 9, 2017
Publication Date
March 20, 2017
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Report/Patent Number
JSC-CN-38702
Meeting Information
Meeting: Lunar and Planetary Science Conference
Location: The Woodlands, TX
Country: United States
Start Date: March 20, 2017
End Date: March 24, 2017
Sponsors: Lunar and Planetary Inst., NASA Headquarters, Universities Space Research Association
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
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