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Water on the Moon !!!

The Moon Mineralogy Mapper, a reflectance spectrometer, was flown on the Indian’s first lunar
mission, Chandrayaan-1.  Larry Taylor of our PGI was a member of the M3 team, headed by
Carle Pieters, of Brown University.  Most of the members of this team are remote sensing specialists,
with strong physics backgrounds.  However, Larry was chosen for his knowledge of the actual lunar
rocks and soils, sort of the “ground truth” for the observations.  After months of heated discussion
about interpretations and rendering of the spectral data, we all agreed on this great new finding of
“Water on the Moon.”  And after we discovered this evidence, two members of our team, who just happened to be on other mission teams, looked at their data and viola, it was there as well – great confirmation of this unequivocal evidence for water on our Moon.
This water is only a trace, being about 1000 ppm – squeeze a cubic yard of lunar soil, and you get
about one liter of water.  But, at ~$50,000/kg to take anything from Earth to the Moon’s surface,
this is GREAT!!   And this finding has nothing to do with the potential for water-ice in the permanently shadowed craters (~40 K) at the lunar poles. 


http://www.utk.edu/tntoday/2009/09/24/new-research-shows
-water-present-across-the-moons-surface/

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/24/science/space/24moon.html?
_r=2

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/090923-moon-water-discovery.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8272144.stm

Recent Publications (2011) from the Planetary Geosciencs Institute.

  • Barnes, J.W., L. Lemke, R. Foch, C. P. McKay, R. A. Beyer, J. Radebaugh, D. H. Atkinson, R. D. Lorenz, S. Le Mouélic, S. Rodriguez, J. Gundlach, F. Giannini, S. Bain, F. M. Flasar, T. Hurford, C. M. Anderson, J. Merrison, M. Ádámkovics, S. A. Kattenhorn, J. Mitchell, D. M. Burr, A..Colaprete, E. Schaller, A. J. Friedson, K.S. Edgett, A. Coradini, A. Adriani, K. M. Sayanagi, M. J. Malaska, D. Morabito, K. Reh (2011) AVIATR – Aerial Vehicle for In-Situ and Airborne Titan Reconnaissance, A Titan Airplane Mission Concept, Exp. Astron., DOI 10.1007/s10686-011-9275-9.
  • Basu Sarbadhikari, A., C.A. Goodrich, Y. Liu, J.M.D. Day, and L.A. Taylor.  2011, Evidence for heterogeneous enriched shergottite mantle sources in Mars from olivine-hosted melt inclusions in Larkman Nunatak 06319. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, DOI: 10.1016/j.gca.2011.09.001
  • Beck A. W., D. W. Mittlefehldt, H. Y. McSween, D. Rumble, C-T. Lee, and R. J. Bodnar (2011) MIL 03443, a dunite from asteroid 4 Vesta: Evidence for its classification and cumulate origin. Meteorit. Planet. Sci. 46, 1133-1151, doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.20111.01219.x.
  • Boardman, J., C.M. Pieters, R.O. Green, S.R. Lundeen, P. Varanasi, J. Nettles, N. Petro, P. Isaacson, S. Besse, and L.A. Taylor, 2011, Measuring Moonlight: An Overview of the Spatial Properties, Lunar Coverage, Selenolocation and Related Level 1B Products of the Moon Mineralogy Mapper (2011) , J. Geophys. Res.
  • Burr, D.M. (2011) Sedimentology in a reduced-gravity environment: Submarine analogs for streamlined forms on Mars.  Geology 39(7), 703-704, doi :10.1130/focus072011.1.  INVITED.
  • Cheek, L.C., Pieters, C.M., Boardman, J.W., Clark, R.N., Combe, J.P., Head, J.W., Isaacson, P.J.,  McCord, T.B., Moriarty, D., Nettles, J.W., Petro, N.E., Sunshine, J.M., and Taylor, L.A., 2011.  Goldschmidt crater and the Moon’s north polar region: Results from the Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3), ), Jour. Geophy. Res., 116, E00G02, doi:10.1029/2010JE003702.
  • Chojnacki, M.*, D.M. Burr, J. E. Moesch and T.I. Michaels (2011) Orbital Observations of Contemporary Dune Activity in Endeavour Crater, Meridiani Planum, Mars.  J. Geophys. Res., 116, E00F19, doi:10.1029/2010JE003675.
  • Crumpler L. S. et al., including H. Y. McSween (2011) Field reconnaissance geologic mapping of the Columbia Hills, Mars: Results from MER Spirit and MRO HiRISE observations. J. Geophys. Res., 116, E00F24, 2010JE003749.
  • Dhinga, D., C.M. Pieters, J.W. Boardman, J.W. Head, P.J. Isaacson, and L.A. Taylor, 2011 Compositional diversity at Theophilis Crater: Understanding the geological context of Mg-spinel bearing central peaks.  J. of Geophys. Res. Lett. 38, L11201, doi:10.1029/2011GL047314.
  • Dhingra, D., L.A. Taylor + 6 co-authors, 2011, Spectroscopic Signatures of Basalts in Mare Tranquillitatis: Observations by the Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) onboard Chandrayaan – 1. J. Geophys. Res.
  • Emery, J.P, D.M. Burr, and D.P Cruikshank (2011) Near-Infrared Spectroscopy of Trojan Asteroids: Evidence for Two Compositional Groups. Astronomical J. 141: 25 (18 pp), doi:10.1088/0004-6256/141/1/25.
  • Green, R. O., L.A. Taylor, + 15 co-authors, 2011.  The Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) imaging spectrometer for lunar science: Instrument description, calibration, on-orbit measurements, science data calibration and on-orbit validation.  J. Geophys. Res., 116, E00G19, doi:10.1029/2011JE003797
  • Greenwood, J.P., Itoh, S., Sakamoto, N., Warren, P., Taylor, L.A., and Yurimoto, H., 2011.  Hydrogen isotope ratios in lunar rocks indicate delivery of cometary water to the Moon, Nature,  DOI: 10.1038/NGEO1050.
  • Isaacson, P. J., C. M. Pieters, S. Besse, R. N. Clark, J. W. Head, R. L. Klima, J. F. Mustard, N. E. Petro, M. I. Staid, J. M. Sunshine, L. A. Taylor, K. G. Thaisen, and S. Tompkins, 2011, Remote compositional analysis of lunar olivine-rich lithologies with Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) spectra, J. Geophys. Res., doi:10.1029/2010JE003731.
  • Issacson, P.J., Basu Sarbadhikari, A., Pieters, C.M., Klima, R.L., Hiroi, T., Liu, Y., and Taylor, L.A., 2011.  The lunar rock and mineral characterization consortium: Deconstruction and integrated analyses of mare basalts. Meteoritics & Planetary Science 46, 228-251.
  • Klima, R.L, Pieters, C.M., Boardman, J.W., Green, R.O., Head III, J.W., Isaacson, P.J.,  Mustard, J.F., Nettles J.W., Petro, N.E., Staid, M.I., Sunshine, J.M., Taylor, L.A., and Tompki, S., 2011.  New insights into lunar petrology: Distribution and composition of prominent low‐Ca pyroxene exposures as observed by the Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3), Jour. Geophy. Res., 116, E00G06, doi:10.1029/2010JE003719.
  • Kramer, G. Y., S. Besse, D. Dhingra, J. Nettles, R. Klima, I. Garrick- Bethell, R. N. Clark, J.-P. Combe, J. W. Head III, L. A. Taylor, C. M. Pieters, J. Boardman, and T. B. McCord, 2011. M3 spectral analysis of lunar swirls and the link between optical maturation and surface hydroxyl formation at magnetic anomalies.  J. Geophys. Res., 116, E00G18, doi:10.1029/2010JE003729
  • Kramer, G., Taylor, L.A., + 7 co-authors, 2011, The Spectral Peculiarities of Lunar Swirls as Seen by the Moon Mineralogy Mapper,  Jour. Geophys. Res. 116, E00G02, doi:10.1029/ 2010JE003702.
  • Liu, Y and Taylor, L.A., 2011.  Water on the Moon. Acta Petrologica Sinica, , 27, 579-588 (invitied review).
  • Liu, Y. & Taylor, L.A. 2011, "Characterization of lunar dust and a synopsis of available lunar simulants", Planetary and Space Science, vol. 59, no. 14, pp. 1769-1783.
  • Mayne R. G., J. M. Sunshine, H. Y. McSween, S. B. Bus and T. J. McCoy (2011) The origin of Vesta’s crust: Insights from spectroscopy of the Vestoids. Icarus 214, 147-160, doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2011.04.013.
  • McCord, T.B., Taylor, L.A., Combe, J.P., Kramer, G., Pieters, C.M., Sunshine, J.P., and Clark, R.N., 2011.  Sources and physical processes responsible for OH/H2Oin the lunar soil as revealed by the Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3), Jour. Geophy. Res., 116, E0G05, doi:10.1029/2010JE003711
  • McGlynn I. O., C. M. Fedo and H. Y. McSween (2011) Origin of basaltic soils at Gusev Crater, Mars, by aeolian modification of impact-generated sediment. J. Geophys. Res. 116, E00F22, doi:10.1029/2010JE003712.
  • McSween H. Y., D. W. Mittlefehldt, A. W. Beck, R. G. Mayne and T. J. McCoy (2011) HED meteorites and their relationship to the geology of Vesta and the Dawn mission. Space Sci. Rev. 163, 141-174, doi:10.1007/s11214-010-9637-z.
  • McSween H. Y., R. L. McNutt and T. H. Prettyman (2011) Spacecraft instrument technology and cosmochemistry. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 108 (48), doi/10.1073/pnas.1013476108.
  • Neetles, J.W., M. Staid, S. Besse, J. Boardman, R.N. Clark, D. Dhingra, P.J. Isaacson, R.. Klima, G. Kramer, C.M. Pieters, and L.A. Taylor, 2011, Optical maturity variation in lunar spectra as measured by the Moon Mineralogy Mapper.  J. Geophys. Res. 116, E00G17, doi:10.1029/2010JE003738.
  • Pieters, C. M., S. Besse, J. Boardman, B. Buratti, L. Cheek, R. N. Clark, J. P. Combe, D. Dhingra, J. N. Goswami, R. O. Green, J. W. Head, P. Isaacson, R. Klima, G. Kramer, S. Lundeen, E. Malaret, T. McCord, J. Mustard, J. Nettles, N. Petro, C. Runyon, M. Staid, J. Sunshine, L. A. Taylor, K. Thaisen, S. Tompkins, and J. Whitten, 2011, Mg-Spinel Lithology: A New Rock-type on the Lunar Farside, J. Geophys. Res., doi:10.1029/2010JE003727.
  • Prettyman T., W. C. Feldman, H. Y. McSween, R. D. Dingler, D. C. Enemark, D. E. Patrick, S. A. Storms, J. S. Henricks, J. P. Morgenthaler, K. M. Pitman and R. C. Reedy (2011) Dawn’s Gamma Ray and Neutron Detector. Space Sci. Rev. 163, 371-459, doi:10.1007/s11214-011-9862-0.
  • Riches, A.J.V., Liu, Y., Day, J.M.D., Puchtel, I.S., Rumble, D.,III, McSween, H.Y.,Jr, Walker, R.J. & Taylor, L.A. 2011, "Petrology and geochemistry of Yamato 984028; a cumulate lherzolitic shergottite with affinities to Y 00027, Y 00047, and Y 00097", Polar Science, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 497-514.
  • Staid, M. I., C. M. Pieters, S. Besse, J. Boardman, D. Dhingra, R. O. Green, J. W. Head, P. J. Isaacson, R. L. Klima, G. Kramer, J. F. Mustard, C. J. Runyon, J. M. Sunshine, and L. A. Taylor, 2011, The Mineralogy of Late-Stage Lunar Volcanism as Observed by the Moon Mineralogy Mapper on Chandrayaan-1, J. Geophys. Res., doi:10.1029/2010JE003735.
  • Thaisen, K.G., Head, J.W., Taylor, L.A., Kramer, G.Y., Isaacson, P.J., Nettles, J., Petro, N.E., and Pieters, C.M., 2011.  Geology of the Moscoviense Basin, Jour. Geophy. Res., 116, E00G07, doi:10.1029/2010JE003732.
  • Van Rythoven, A.D., T.E. McCandless, D.J. Schulze, A. Bellis, Y. Liu, and L.A. Taylor, 2011, Diamond crystals and their mineral inclusions from the Lynx Kimberlite Dyke Complex, Central Ontario.  The Canadian Mineral. 49, 691-706.
  • Whitten, J., J. W. Head, M. Staid, C. M. Pieters, J. F. Mustard, R. N. Clark, J. Nettles, R. L. Klima, and L. A. Taylor, 2011, Lunar Mare Deposits Associated with the Orientale Impact Basin: New Insights into Mineralogy, History, Mode of Emplacement, and Relation to Orientale Basin Evolution from Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) Data from Chandrayaan-1, J. Geophys. Res., doi:10.1029/2010JE003736.
  • Zhang,  A., Taylor, L.A., Hsu, W., Floss, C., Li, X., Li, Q., and Liu Y., 2011.  Petrogenesis of lunar meteorite Northwest Africa 2977: Constraints from in situ microprobe results. Meteoritics & Planetary Science 45, 1929–1947.
  • Zipfel J. et al., including H. Y. McSween (2011) Bounce Rock – A shergottite-like basalt encountered at Meridiani Planum, Mars. Meteorit. Planet. Sci. 46, 1-20, doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.01127.x.
  • Zuber M. T., H. Y. McSween, R. P. Binzel, L. T. Elkins-Tanton, A. S. Konopliv, C. M. Pieters and D. W. Smith (2011) Origin, internal structure and evolution of 4 Vesta. Space Sci. Rev. 163, 77-93, doi:10.1007/s11214-011-9806-8.