Hydrogen mapping of the lunar south pole using the LRO neutron detector experiment LEND

I. G. Mitrofanov; A. B. Sanin; W. V. Boynton; G. Chin; J. B. Garvin; D. Golovin; L. G. Evans; K. Harshman; A. S. Kozyrev; M. L. Litvak; A. Malakhov; E. Mazarico; T. McClanahan; G. Milikh; M. Mokrousov; G. Nandikotkur; G. A. Neumann; I. Nuzhdin; R. Sagdeev; V. Shevchenko; V. Shvetsov; D. E. Smith; R. Starr; V. I. Tretyakov; J. Trombka; D. Usikov; A. Varenikov; A. Vostrukhin; M. T. Zuber

doi:10.1126/science.1185696

Hydrogen mapping of the lunar south pole using the LRO neutron detector experiment LEND

I. G. Mitrofanov, A. B. Sanin, W. V. Boynton, G. Chin, J. B. Garvin, D. Golovin, L. G. Evans, K. Harshman, A. S. Kozyrev, M. L. Litvak, A. Malakhov, E. Mazarico, T. McClanahan, G. Milikh, M. Mokrousov, G. Nandikotkur, G. A. Neumann, I. Nuzhdin, R. Sagdeev, V. ShevchenkoV. Shvetsov, D. E. Smith, R. Starr, V. I. Tretyakov, J. Trombka, D. Usikov, A. Varenikov, A. Vostrukhin, M. T. Zuber

Lunar and Planetary Lab

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

272 Scopus citations

Abstract

Hydrogen has been inferred to occur in enhanced concentrations within permanently shadowed regions and, hence, the coldest areas of the lunar poles. The Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) mission was designed to detect hydrogen-bearing volatiles directly. Neutron flux measurements of the Moon's south polar region from the Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector (LEND) on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft were used to select the optimal impact site for LCROSS. LEND data show several regions where the epithermal neutron flux from the surface is suppressed, which is indicative of enhanced hydrogen content. These regions are not spatially coincident with permanently shadowed regions of the Moon. The LCROSS impact site inside the Cabeus crater demonstrates the highest hydrogen concentration in the lunar south polar region, corresponding to an estimated content of 0.5 to 4.0% water ice by weight, depending on the thickness of any overlying dry regolith layer. The distribution of hydrogen across the region is consistent with buried water ice from cometary impacts, hydrogen implantation from the solar wind, and/or other as yet unknown sources.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	483-486
Number of pages	4
Journal	Science
Volume	330
Issue number	6003
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1185696
State	Published - Oct 22 2010

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Mitrofanov, I. G., Sanin, A. B., Boynton, W. V., Chin, G., Garvin, J. B., Golovin, D., Evans, L. G., Harshman, K., Kozyrev, A. S., Litvak, M. L., Malakhov, A., Mazarico, E., McClanahan, T., Milikh, G., Mokrousov, M., Nandikotkur, G., Neumann, G. A., Nuzhdin, I., Sagdeev, R., ... Zuber, M. T. (2010). Hydrogen mapping of the lunar south pole using the LRO neutron detector experiment LEND. Science, 330(6003), 483-486. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1185696

Mitrofanov, IG, Sanin, AB, Boynton, WV, Chin, G, Garvin, JB, Golovin, D, Evans, LG, Harshman, K, Kozyrev, AS, Litvak, ML, Malakhov, A, Mazarico, E, McClanahan, T, Milikh, G, Mokrousov, M, Nandikotkur, G, Neumann, GA, Nuzhdin, I, Sagdeev, R, Shevchenko, V, Shvetsov, V, Smith, DE, Starr, R, Tretyakov, VI, Trombka, J, Usikov, D, Varenikov, A, Vostrukhin, A & Zuber, MT 2010, 'Hydrogen mapping of the lunar south pole using the LRO neutron detector experiment LEND', Science, vol. 330, no. 6003, pp. 483-486. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1185696

@article{d01b0d46d776459683ff4df5add3638b,

title = "Hydrogen mapping of the lunar south pole using the LRO neutron detector experiment LEND",

abstract = "Hydrogen has been inferred to occur in enhanced concentrations within permanently shadowed regions and, hence, the coldest areas of the lunar poles. The Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) mission was designed to detect hydrogen-bearing volatiles directly. Neutron flux measurements of the Moon's south polar region from the Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector (LEND) on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft were used to select the optimal impact site for LCROSS. LEND data show several regions where the epithermal neutron flux from the surface is suppressed, which is indicative of enhanced hydrogen content. These regions are not spatially coincident with permanently shadowed regions of the Moon. The LCROSS impact site inside the Cabeus crater demonstrates the highest hydrogen concentration in the lunar south polar region, corresponding to an estimated content of 0.5 to 4.0% water ice by weight, depending on the thickness of any overlying dry regolith layer. The distribution of hydrogen across the region is consistent with buried water ice from cometary impacts, hydrogen implantation from the solar wind, and/or other as yet unknown sources.",

author = "Mitrofanov, {I. G.} and Sanin, {A. B.} and Boynton, {W. V.} and G. Chin and Garvin, {J. B.} and D. Golovin and Evans, {L. G.} and K. Harshman and Kozyrev, {A. S.} and Litvak, {M. L.} and A. Malakhov and E. Mazarico and T. McClanahan and G. Milikh and M. Mokrousov and G. Nandikotkur and Neumann, {G. A.} and I. Nuzhdin and R. Sagdeev and V. Shevchenko and V. Shvetsov and Smith, {D. E.} and R. Starr and Tretyakov, {V. I.} and J. Trombka and D. Usikov and A. Varenikov and A. Vostrukhin and Zuber, {M. T.}",

year = "2010",

month = oct,

day = "22",

doi = "10.1126/science.1185696",

language = "English (US)",

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T1 - Hydrogen mapping of the lunar south pole using the LRO neutron detector experiment LEND

AU - Mitrofanov, I. G.

AU - Sanin, A. B.

AU - Boynton, W. V.

AU - Chin, G.

AU - Garvin, J. B.

AU - Golovin, D.

AU - Evans, L. G.

AU - Harshman, K.

AU - Kozyrev, A. S.

AU - Litvak, M. L.

AU - Malakhov, A.

AU - Mazarico, E.

AU - McClanahan, T.

AU - Milikh, G.

AU - Mokrousov, M.

AU - Nandikotkur, G.

AU - Neumann, G. A.

AU - Nuzhdin, I.

AU - Sagdeev, R.

AU - Shevchenko, V.

AU - Shvetsov, V.

AU - Smith, D. E.

AU - Starr, R.

AU - Tretyakov, V. I.

AU - Trombka, J.

AU - Usikov, D.

AU - Varenikov, A.

AU - Vostrukhin, A.

AU - Zuber, M. T.

PY - 2010/10/22

Y1 - 2010/10/22

N2 - Hydrogen has been inferred to occur in enhanced concentrations within permanently shadowed regions and, hence, the coldest areas of the lunar poles. The Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) mission was designed to detect hydrogen-bearing volatiles directly. Neutron flux measurements of the Moon's south polar region from the Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector (LEND) on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft were used to select the optimal impact site for LCROSS. LEND data show several regions where the epithermal neutron flux from the surface is suppressed, which is indicative of enhanced hydrogen content. These regions are not spatially coincident with permanently shadowed regions of the Moon. The LCROSS impact site inside the Cabeus crater demonstrates the highest hydrogen concentration in the lunar south polar region, corresponding to an estimated content of 0.5 to 4.0% water ice by weight, depending on the thickness of any overlying dry regolith layer. The distribution of hydrogen across the region is consistent with buried water ice from cometary impacts, hydrogen implantation from the solar wind, and/or other as yet unknown sources.

AB - Hydrogen has been inferred to occur in enhanced concentrations within permanently shadowed regions and, hence, the coldest areas of the lunar poles. The Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) mission was designed to detect hydrogen-bearing volatiles directly. Neutron flux measurements of the Moon's south polar region from the Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector (LEND) on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft were used to select the optimal impact site for LCROSS. LEND data show several regions where the epithermal neutron flux from the surface is suppressed, which is indicative of enhanced hydrogen content. These regions are not spatially coincident with permanently shadowed regions of the Moon. The LCROSS impact site inside the Cabeus crater demonstrates the highest hydrogen concentration in the lunar south polar region, corresponding to an estimated content of 0.5 to 4.0% water ice by weight, depending on the thickness of any overlying dry regolith layer. The distribution of hydrogen across the region is consistent with buried water ice from cometary impacts, hydrogen implantation from the solar wind, and/or other as yet unknown sources.

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VL - 330

SP - 483

EP - 486

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 6003

ER -

Hydrogen mapping of the lunar south pole using the LRO neutron detector experiment LEND

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