Crater age and hydrogen content in lunar regolith from LEND neutron data
Abstract
Analysis of Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector (LEND) neutron count rates for a large set of mid-latitude craters provides evidence for lower hydrogen content in the crater interiors compared to typical highland values. Epithermal neutron count rates for crater interiors measured by the LEND Sensor for Epithermal Neutrons (SETN) were compared to crater exteriors for 301 craters and displayed an increase in mean count rate at the ∼9-σ confidence level, consistent with a lower hydrogen content. A smaller subset of 31 craters also shows a significant increase in Optical Maturity parameter implying an immature regolith. The increase in SETN count rate for these craters is greater than the increase for the full set of craters by more than a factor of two.
- Publication:
-
Planetary and Space Science
- Pub Date:
- November 2018
- DOI:
- 10.1016/j.pss.2017.08.001
- Bibcode:
- 2018P&SS..162..105S
- Keywords:
-
- Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter;
- LEND;
- Epithermal neutrons;
- Impact craters;
- Hydrogen