Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Thomas C. Stone
Summary: This article studies the potential impact of lunar radiometric measurements obtained from an orbiting platform. The study finds that lunar irradiance is influenced by spacecraft motion and phase angle, but the changes are relatively small. By planning observations, the variations in target irradiance can be minimized.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON GEOSCIENCE AND REMOTE SENSING
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Lixin Gu, Yongjin Chen, Yuchen Xu, Xu Tang, Yangting Lin, Takaaki Noguchi, Jinhua Li
Summary: This study reports the characteristics of space weathering on lunar soils collected by Chang'e-5, showing that micrometeorite impacts and solar wind irradiation have significantly modified the composition and microstructure of the lunar soil materials. The exposed mineral phases on the surface of a basalt clast have a vapor deposit layer, and the textures of the solar wind irradiation-damaged zone vary depending on the host mineral species. The findings contribute to the understanding of the reflectance spectra of the Moon.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Emily A. Worsham, Thorsten Kleine
Summary: Late accretion refers to the final addition of Earth's mass after the formation of the Moon, including a period of Late Heavy Bombardment (LHB) triggered by a late giant planet orbital instability. Research shows that impactors during the LHB and late accretion were of the same type and originated in the terrestrial planet region, suggesting that the LHB represents the end of accretion. Additionally, late-accreted bodies, originating from the inner solar system, cannot be the primary source of Earth's water.
News Item
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Andrew Jones
Summary: The Chinese spacecraft Chang'e-4 successfully landed on the moon, with the team waiting nervously for vital signals to confirm a soft landing. When the spectral signals were visible, everyone cheered enthusiastically, marking the sweet payoff of years of hard work for Su Yan and her team.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Daniel P. Moriarty, Nick Dygert, Sarah N. Valencia, Ryan N. Watkins, Noah E. Petro
Summary: The lunar surface holds ancient and well-preserved records of Solar System history and planetary evolution processes. There is debate among scientists about the lithologies of the upper lunar mantle and where they may be exposed on the surface. By reviewing dynamical models and recent data, researchers are assessing candidate lithologies and their implications for lunar evolution.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
News Item
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Elizabeth Gibney
Summary: Scientists are determining the time that local atomic clocks will keep for satellite navigation systems in lunar settlements.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lindsay A. French, Stephen R. Midway, David H. Evans, George H. Burgess
Summary: This study utilized nearly 50 years of global shark attack data to investigate the relationship between shark attacks and moon phase. The findings showed that shark attacks were more likely to occur when lunar illumination was >50%, and less likely when lunar illumination was <50%.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Aerospace
Issa A. D. Nesnas, Laura Kerber, Glenn Sellar, Tibor Balint, Brett Denevi, Aaron J. Parness, Richard P. Kornfeld, Miles Smith, Patrick McGarey, Travis Brown, Eric Sunada, Kurt A. Gonter, Benjamin Hockman, Paul Hayne, Tyler Horvath, Joshua B. Hopkins, Andrew E. Johnson, Robert Wagner, Yang Cheng, Aaron G. Curtis, Kris Zacny, Michael Paton, Kristopher Sherrill
Summary: Natural pits on the Moon provide opportunities to study the lunar maria and access subsurface lava tubes. The Moon Diver mission aims to explore the Mare Tranquillitatis pit, using pinpoint landing and robotic exploration to examine the bedrock layers. The mission utilizes innovative capabilities such as terrain-relative navigation, a tethered robotic explorer, and instruments for elemental analysis and mineralogy.
Article
Engineering, Aerospace
Huan Yu, Mingyan Nie
Summary: In recent years, lunar exploration and exploitation have thrived due to advancements in space technology and the growing demand for better utilization of the moon. However, the absence of a definitive international space treaty for lunar exploration and resource exploitation has created legal uncertainties. As a major player in this field, China should take responsibility for establishing a harmonious environment by considering accession to the Moon Agreement.
Article
Engineering, Aerospace
Nicholas J. Bennett, Ruida Xie, Andrew G. Dempster
Summary: Utilizing space resources can reduce the cost and risks of future space activities, and seemingly insignificant operational choices may have significant impacts on conclusions.
Article
Engineering, Aerospace
Yusuf Cengiz Toklu, Pinar Akpinar
Summary: This paper provides an overview of three aspects of using local materials in lunar construction activities: studying the nature of in-situ soils obtained from lunar missions, producing lunar soil simulants on Earth, and utilizing them to produce lunar construction materials.
ADVANCES IN SPACE RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
Nathaniel G. Gordon, Damiano Marsili, Ioannis Nikas, Nicolo Boschetti
Summary: Future manned missions to the moon require fast and resilient communication infrastructure. This article compares radiofrequency and optical links in recent and ongoing missions, and proposes recommendations for lunar communications infrastructure. The approach focuses on scalable design, resilience to threats, and universal applicability. It discusses engineering efforts to mitigate weaknesses and achieve desired capabilities, and highlights upcoming missions as milestones for optical links.
IEEE PERVASIVE COMPUTING
(2023)
Article
Mathematics, Applied
Minghu Tan, Haoyu Li
Summary: The single impulsive planar Earth-Moon transfer strategy is investigated by analyzing the energy change of the lunar capture. A planar bicircular model of the restricted four-body problem is applied to define the single impulsive trajectory to the Moon from the Earth. Analytical expressions are derived to describe the energy changes of the lunar capture in the Sun-Earth rotating frame, and these solutions serve as good approximations. The perilune angle and radius are found to be critical factors for lunar capture.
COMMUNICATIONS IN NONLINEAR SCIENCE AND NUMERICAL SIMULATION
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Aerospace
Peter J. Collins, Jennifer Edmunson, Michael Fiske, Aleksandra Radlinska
Summary: This study characterized five different lunar regolith simulants in detail and used the data to create geopolymer concrete samples for testing and analysis. The results showed that these simulant samples are feasible for concrete technology, but their performance varies due to differences in their mineralogy, amorphous content, and particle size and shape distributions.
ADVANCES IN SPACE RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Hua-Cheng Li, Nan Zhang, Zong-Yu Yue, Yi-Zhuo Zhang
Summary: Accurate estimation of cratering asymmetry on the Moon is crucial for understanding Moon evolution history. We introduced lunar obliquity and inclination as new controlling variables to derive the cratering rate spatial variation, which can reproduce the lunar cratering rate asymmetry and predict the apex/ant-apex ratio and the pole/equator ratio. The model, generalizable to other planets and moons, shows that the influences of obliquity and inclination are significant on the evolution of apex/ant-apex ratio.
RESEARCH IN ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Jiaqi Li, Caroline Beghein, Paul Davis, Mark. A. Wieczorek, Scott M. M. McLennan, Doyeon Kim, Ved Lekic, Matthew Golombek, Martin Schimmel, Eleonore Stutzmann, Philippe Lognonne, William Bruce Banerdt
Summary: The shallowest layer beneath the Mars InSight Lander site has low seismic wave velocity due to high porosity and other lithological factors. The SsPp phase was detected on Mars for the first time, confirming the existence of an 8 km interface and a large wave speed contrast across it. The average P-wave speed in the top crustal layer was found to be between 2.5 and 3.2 km/s, providing a more precise estimate than previous studies.
EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Matthew J. Genge, Luke Alesbrook, Natasha V. Almeida, Helena C. Bates, Phil A. Bland, Mark R. Boyd, Mark J. Burchell, Gareth S. Collins, Luke T. Cornwell, Luke Daly, Hadrien A. R. Devillepoix, Matthias van Ginneken, Ansgar Greshake, Daniel Hallatt, Christopher Hamann, Lutz Hecht, Laura E. Jenkins, Diane Johnson, Rosie Jones, Ashley J. King, Haithem Mansour, Sarah McMullan, Jennifer T. Mitchell, Gavyn Rollinson, Sara S. Russell, Christian Schroeder, Natasha R. Stephen, Martin D. Suttle, Jon D. Tandy, Patrick Trimby, Eleanor K. Sansom, Vassilia Spathis, Francesca M. Willcocks, Penelope J. Wozniakiewicz
Summary: Fusion crusts form during meteorite atmospheric entry, providing a record of atmospheric deceleration conditions. The Winchcombe meteorite's fusion crust is similar to other stony meteorites, dominated by olivine phenocrysts embedded in a glassy matrix with magnetite and highly vesicular. Unusually abundant dehydration cracks and weak layer failure contribute to particle formation, supported by plasma pulses observed in the fireball videos. Oscillatory zoning in olivine phenocrysts suggests temperature fluctuations from calving events. Unique features include magnetite monolayers and silicate warts, indicating intense gas loss and inter-shower material transfer.
METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
A. Mittelholz, C. L. Johnson, M. Fillingim, R. E. Grimm, S. Joy, S. N. Thorne, W. B. Banerdt
Summary: The magnetometer of the InSight mission operated on the Martian surface from November 2018 until May 2022, providing new insights on the Martian magnetic field and its interaction with the surface. The study reveals that ionospheric variations are the main factor affecting the surface magnetic field, while the undisturbed interplanetary magnetic field has a minor contribution. Future missions with magnetometers at various locations for continuous observations will greatly contribute to understanding external magnetic field phenomena.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-PLANETS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
M. Knapmeyer, S. Stahler, A. -C. Plesa, S. Ceylan, C. Charalambous, J. Clinton, N. Dahmen, C. Duran, A. Horleston, T. Kawamura, D. Kim, J. Li, M. Plasman, G. Zenhausern, R. C. Weber, D. Giardini, M. P. Panning, P. Lognonne, W. B. Banerdt
Summary: The seismic activity on Mars is described by the corner magnitude and the seismic moment rate. The Marsquake S1222a is large enough to represent the global activity and provides observational constraints on the moment rate. The magnitude-frequency distribution of relevant Marsquakes shows a b-value of 1.06. The moment rate is estimated to be between 1.55x10^15 Nm/a and 1.97x10^18 Nm/a, with a peak near 4.9x10^16 Nm/a. Comparisons with pre-InSight estimations suggest that previous estimates tend to overestimate the moment rate and a significant portion of tectonic deformation may occur silently, while seismicity is likely restricted to localized centers rather than spread across the entire planet.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
J. Shi, M. Plasman, B. Knapmeyer-Endrun, Z. Xu, T. Kawamura, P. Lognonne, S. M. McLennan, G. Sainton, W. B. Banerdt, M. P. Panning, T. Wang
Summary: Researchers used high signal-to-noise ratio seismic data to reveal a 2-km depth discontinuity in the shallow structure of Mars, which separates highly fractured and more coherent crustal materials.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Zongbo Xu, Adrien Broquet, Nobuaki Fuji, Taichi Kawamura, Philippe Lognonne, Jean-Paul Montagner, Lu Pan, Martin Schimmel, Eleonore Stutzmann, William Bruce Banerdt
Summary: Understanding the Martian crust and uppermost mantle is crucial for studying the planet's evolution, and NASA's InSight mission has provided seismic data to reveal the interior structure. While most studies have focused on the crustal structure beneath the InSight lander, the seismic structure of other regions remains poorly known. This study investigates the crustal structure along the Medusa Fossae Formation and the dichotomy using surface-wave data, and the findings suggest the presence of a high-velocity layer and a common intra-crustal structure in this region.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Letter
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ian Crawford
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
T. Neidhart, E. K. Sansom, K. Miljkovic, G. S. Collins, J. Eschenfelder, I. J. Daubar
Summary: We studied 634 clusters of craters on Mars detected from 2007 to 2021, which account for more than half of all impacts found during this period. These clusters are formed when meteoroids in the 10 kg-10 ton mass range break apart in Mars' atmosphere, producing a few to a few hundred fragments that impact the ground. The characteristics of these clusters can provide insights into meteoroid properties and the processes governing their fragmentation. By mapping individual craters within each cluster and analyzing their spatial and size distributions, we defined a range of cluster properties. This large dataset, with over eight times more cluster observations than previous studies, allows for a more comprehensive statistical examination of crater cluster parameters and their correlations. The trends in size, dispersion, and large crater fraction with elevation support the idea of weak atmospheric filtering of materials. The variations in the number of individual craters and their size-frequency distributions within a cluster may reflect differences in fragmentation style, fragility, or internal particle sizes.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-PLANETS
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
A. Rajsic, K. Miljkovic, N. Wojcicka, G. S. Collins, R. F. Garcia, C. Bredemeyer, A. Lagain, I. J. Daubar, P. Lognonne
Summary: This study combines mapping and numerical simulations to accurately estimate seismic activity and seismic moment generated by small impact events on Mars. By determining the regolith thickness in the late Amazonian units, a more realistic uppermost crust model was constructed. The study found that seismic energy is more dependent on target properties, while seismic moment is almost proportional to impact momentum. The scaling relationships for seismic moment approximations were improved by considering more realistic target properties.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-PLANETS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sarah C. Steele, Roger R. Fu, Michael W. R. Volk, Thomas L. North, Alec R. Brenner, Adrian R. Muxworthy, Gareth S. Collins, Thomas M. Davison
Summary: The study of the ALH 84001 meteorite suggests that it may preserve a magnetic record of the Martian dynamo from 4.1 billion years ago. By analyzing igneous Fe-sulfides in the meteorite using a quantum diamond microscope, it was found that there are strongly magnetized ferromagnetic mineral assemblages in two nearly opposite directions. This implies that the meteorite recorded strong fields after impact heating between 4.1 and 3.95 billion years ago and was later heterogeneously remagnetized by at least one further impact.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Keisuke Onodera, Maeda Takuto, Kiwamu Nishida, Taichi Kawamura, Ludovic Margerin, Sabrina Menina, Philippe Lognonne, William Bruce Banerdt
Summary: On 4 May 2022, the largest marsquake (S1222a) was observed by the seismometer on Mars, with a long event duration lasting over 8 hours and clear body and surface waves. Using the radiative transfer theory, the scattering and intrinsic quality factors of Mars (Q(s) and Q(i)) were estimated for the frequency range between 0.05-0.09 Hz, which had not been constrained previously. The results showed that Q(i) = 1,000-1,500 and Q(s) = 30-500, indicating Earth-like scattering and absorption properties on Mars when compared with other celestial bodies.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Wanbo Xiao, Taichi Kawamura, Zongbo Xu, Sebastian Carrasco, Keisuke Onodera, Gregory Sainton, Philippe Lognonne, Yanbin Wang, Brigitte Knapmeyer-Endrun, William Bruce Banerdt
Summary: This study investigates the corner frequency of S1222a and finds that its spectra deviate from the classical ω^2 model, likely due to the site effect at the InSight landing site. Numerical simulation shows that considering the site effect greatly improves the spectral fitting. The source spectrum and stress drop of S1222a are estimated, revealing a different tectonic origin from the Cerberus Fossae marsquakes.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
J. S. Maia, M. A. Wieczorek, A. -C. Plesa
Summary: In this study, the viscosity structure of the Venusian mantle was investigated by modeling the dynamic gravity and topography signatures and using a Bayesian inference approach. The results revealed the existence of a thin low-viscosity zone in the uppermost mantle, about 235 km thick, with a viscosity reduction of 5-15 times compared to the underlying mantle. This reduced viscosity may be a result of partial melting, similar to the asthenosphere in Earth, indicating that Venus is predominantly governed by ongoing magmatic processes.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
