Near-infrared reflectance spectra of the lunar highlands are synthesized to obtain global information about the composition of the lunar near-side crust. Immature exposed surfaces from small fresh craters, mountains and massifs, and large craters with central peaks are included in a survey of rock types across the lunar near side. Compositions recognized in these data include anorthosite, norit...

We present details of the global distribution of high-Ca pyroxene (HCP)-rich sites in the lunar highlands based on the global data set of hyperspectral reflectance obtained by the SELENE Spectral Profiler. Most HCP-rich sites in the lunar highlands are found at fresh impact craters. In each crater, most of the detection points are distributed on the ejecta, rim, and floor of the impact craters ...

Introduction: Lunar dust, the <20 μm portion of the Moon’s regolith, posed several unanticipated problems during the Apollo Missions. With our plans for returning humans to the Moon, it is paramount to address these issues. For example, an embarrassing problem involved the fact that none of the ‘Milliondollars rock boxes’ built at Oak Ridge National Lab remained sealed at the vacuum of the Moon...

Remote sensing indicates the presence of hydrogen rich regions associated with the lunar poles. The logical hypothesis is that there is cryogenically trapped water ice located in craters at the lunar poles. Some of the craters have been in permanent darkness for a billion years. The presence of water at the poles as well as other scientific advantages of a polar base, have influenced NASA plans...

A novel methodology to evaluate uncertainties in lunar element abundances is presented. Contrary to most terrestrial applications, lunar GIS data cannot be verified by in-situ measurements due to the limited number of ground control points and their reduced spatial extend. This investigation evaluates the uncertainty in lunar element abundance measurements without the use of groundchecks but by...

Introduction: Astronauts have not explored the lunar surface since December 1972. NASA's new plans for the manned return to the Moon revolve around the construction and establishment of a lunar polar outpost starting around the year 2020. Therefore, in order to achieve NASA's new exploration objectives it seems prudent to dust off certain aspects of the Apollo playbook. The six Apollo lunar lan...

[1] As the solar wind is incident upon the lunar surface, it will occasionally encounter lunar crustal remanent magnetic fields. These magnetic fields are small-scale, highly non-dipolar, have strengths up to hundreds of nanotesla, and typically interact with the solar wind in a kinetic fashion. Simulations, theoretical analyses, and spacecraft observations have shown that crustal fields can re...

[1] Magnetic fields measured by the satellite Lunar Prospector show large scale features resulting from remanently magnetized crust. Vector data synthesized at satellite altitude from a spherical harmonic model of the lunar crustal field, and the radial component of the magnetometer data, have been used to produce spatially continuous global magnetization models for the lunar crust. The magneti...

It has been known for many decades that the lunar tidal influence in the equatorial electrojet (EEJ) is noticeably enhanced during Northern Hemisphere winters. Recent literature has discussed the role of stratospheric sudden warming (SSW) events behind the enhancement of lunar tides and the findings suggest a positive correlation between the lunar tidal amplitude and lower stratospheric paramet...

A method has been developed for performing autonomous Lunar orbit determination based on measurements of the times at which stars set behind or rise above the Lunar limb. This system is being developed as a possible technology for use in the Lunar exploration initiative because it enables increased autonomy of operations near the Moon. The system consists of a specially modified star camera and...