Regional elemental abundances within South Pole-Aitken basin as measured with lunar prospector gamma-ray spectrometer data.

South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin has been a target of intense study since it is one of the largest impact basins in the solar system. It is thought that SPA basin excavated deep into the lunar crust and possibly even the mantle. Such conclusions have been supported by the observed mafic and thorium com...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lawrence, David J. (David Jeffery), Pieters, Carlé M., Elphic, R. C. (Richard C.), Gasnault, O. M. (Olivier M.), Prettyman, T. H. (Thomas H.), Feldman, W. C. (William C.)
Other Authors: United States. Department of Energy.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Los Alamos National Laboratory 2003
Subjects:
Spectrometers
Element Abundance
79 Astrophysics
Cosmology And Astronomy
Solar System
Thorium
Moon
58 Geosciences
Targets
Aitken
South Pole
South pole
Online Access:https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc933934/
Description
Summary:South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin has been a target of intense study since it is one of the largest impact basins in the solar system. It is thought that SPA basin excavated deep into the lunar crust and possibly even the mantle. Such conclusions have been supported by the observed mafic and thorium composition anomalies seen across the entire basin. One of the major goals of lunar and planetary science has been to measure and understand the composition of the non-mare materials within SPA basin. It is expected that this information will help to increase our understanding of the formation and differentiation processes that occurred early on the Moon.

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