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

• 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/

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.