Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Zhuang Guo, Chen Li, Yang Li, Yuanyun Wen, Kairui Tai, Xiongyao Li, Jianzhong Liu, Ziyuan Ouyang
Summary: Surface-correlated nanophase iron particles play an essential role in studying space weathering. The only strongly proven formation mechanism for these particles is vapor deposition, while other mechanisms remain debated. The analysis of the Chang'E-5 olivine rims suggests that subsolidus olivine decomposition may be the key factor in altering the reflectance spectrum of airless bodies.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Toru Matsumoto, Takaaki Noguchi, Yu Tobimatsu, Dennis Harries, Falko Langenhorst, Akira Miyake, Hiroshi Hidaka
Summary: The alteration of iron sulfides on the lunar surface by space weathering remains poorly understood. However, through SEM and TEM observations, it has been determined that the space weathering of iron sulfides may be directly related to solar wind irradiation.
GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA
(2021)
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
Environmental Sciences
Marcel Hess, Thorsten Wilhelm, Christian Woehler, Kay Wohlfarth
Summary: Research shows that spectral unmixing on the Moon is challenging due to factors like space weathering and darkening agents affecting the overall spectrum. The Bayesian approach helps to address uncertainties, but significant challenges remain in dealing with dark mature lunar spectra.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
M. Sanchez-Maranon, A. Molinero-Garcia, R. Delgado, L. F. Garcia del Moral, J. M. Martin-Garcia
Summary: Chemical weathering involves the loss of bases and silica, as well as the oxidation of Fe. Spectroscopic analysis of rock and soil samples from the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Spain revealed progressive release and oxidation of Fe during the early stages of weathering and soil formation. The changes in spectral and color measurements provided consistent indices for characterizing the weathering process.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
P. O'Brien, S. Byrne
Summary: A novel three-dimensional landscape model was developed to study the space weathering processes of lunar regolith, revealing that materials typically spend only a few million years on the lunar surface due to vigorous mixing by small-scale impacts. By comparing modeled surface residence times with measurements of space weathering maturity, the rate of space weathering and the timescale for regolith to reach maturity on the lunar mare were estimated.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-PLANETS
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
C. J. Tai Udovicic, E. S. Costello, R. R. Ghent, C. S. Edwards
Summary: The study found that nanophase iron is strongly correlated with crater age, while microphase iron exhibits a weaker correlation. The abundance of highlands nanophase iron is a direct result of space weathering exposure, while highlands microphase iron abundance is likely influenced by lunar source materials or stochastic impact-delivery mechanisms.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
K. A. Shirley, T. D. Glotch, O. Donaldson, J. Trelewicz, Y. Yang, H. Zhang
Summary: In this study, laboratory analysis was used to investigate the effect of mineral albedo on the midinfrared emissivity spectra of silicates under lunar environment conditions. The study found that darkening effects of space weathering would change the thermal gradient in heavily space weathered lunar regolith, as shown by the shifts in the Christiansen Feature maximum to longer wavelengths and decreasing spectral contrast with decreasing albedo. These findings suggest the need for further investigation into the effects of space weathering on the midinfrared spectra of airless bodies.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-PLANETS
(2023)
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
Astronomy & Astrophysics
David T. Blewett, Brett W. Denevi, Joshua T. S. Cahill, Rachel L. Klima
Summary: The analysis of spacecraft multispectral images for lunar swirls provides insights into optical space weathering on the Moon and its causes. The spectral variations in mare and highland swirls compared to normal mature regolith suggest differences in spectral effects of sample maturity and abundance of nsFe particles. The attenuation of solar-wind ions reaching the surface in swirls by crustal magnetic fields indicates that solar-wind exposure is the primary agent for production of small nsFe in normal lunar space weathering.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Cole A. Nypaver, Bradley J. Thomson, Caleb Fassett, Edgard G. Rivera-Valentin, Gerald W. Patterson
Summary: Fresh impact ejecta deposits on the lunar surface consist of a heterogeneous mix of boulders, cobbles, and fine-grained regolith. Observations of old lunar impact craters reveal the presence of large boulders along their rims, indicating continuous rock exposure due to downslope movement of regolith. Collecting lunar samples at crater rims can help mitigate sample contamination from distant sources and ensure accurate geologic interpretations.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-PLANETS
(2021)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Bruce Hapke
Summary: Theoretical modeling suggests that charged solar energetic particles on the lunar regolith can create electric fields strong enough to cause dielectric breakdown, but taking into account the structures of the regolith, it is unlikely that such breakdowns will actually occur.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Chen Li, Zhuang Guo, Yang Li, Kairui Tai, Kuixian Wei, Xiongyao Li, Jianzhong Liu, Wenhui Ma
Summary: A study of microcraters on a lunar grain from a Chang'e-5 returned sample reveals that nanophase metallic iron (np-Fe-0) is formed through disproportionation of Fe2+ triggered by secondary impacts, without space weathering contribution from the solar wind. This finding provides important insights into weathering mechanisms on regions or bodies that do not experience a strong solar wind component.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Pan Yan, Zhiyong Xiao, Yunhua Wu, Wei Yang, Jin-Hua Li, Li-Xin Gu, Shiyong Liao, Zongjun Yin, Hao Wang, Heng-Ci Tian, Chi Zhang, Suping Wu, Hong-Xia Ma, Xu Tang, Shi-Tou Wu, Hejiu Hui, Yuchen Xu, Weibiao Hsu, Qiu-Li Li, Fanglu Luo, Yang Liu, Xian-Hua Li
Summary: Glasses cooled from impact melt and vapor on the lunar surface, as evidenced by samples returned by China's Chang'E-5 mission, mainly originate from local mare materials and undergo regolith reworking mainly among local materials at low speeds.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-PLANETS
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Ziyu Huang, Ken-ichi Nomura, Aiichiro Nakano, Joseph Wang
Summary: Dielectric breakdown induced by space weather events can trigger the formation of water by breaking chemical bonds of lunar regolith grains and allowing oxygen atoms to react with hydrogen implanted by solar wind. In permanently shadowed regions, water molecules formed after such events become attached to regolith grains in the molecular structure of ice, ultimately changing the hydrophobicity of regolith grains.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
