Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 23 February 1973:
Vol. 179. no. 4075, pp. 800 - 803
DOI: 10.1126/science.179.4075.800
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Articles

Lunar Surface Radioactivity: Preliminary Results of the Apollo 15 and Apollo 16 Gamma-Ray Spectrometer Experiments

A. E. Metzger 1, J. I. Trombka 2, L. E. Peterson 3, R. C. Reedy 3, and J. R. Arnold 3

1 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena 91103
2 Goddard Spaceflight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771
3 University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92037

Gamma-ray spectrometers on the Apollo 15 and Apollo 16 missions have been used to map the moon's radioactivity over 20 percent of its surface. The highest levels of natural radioactivity are found in Mare Imbrium and Oceanus Procellarum with contrastingly lower enhancements in the eastern maria. The ratio of potassium to uranium is higher on the far side than on the near side, although it is everywhere lower than commonly found on the earth.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Understanding the Lunar Surface and Space-Moon Interactions.
P. Lucey, R. L. Korotev, J. J. Gillis, L. A. Taylor, D. Lawrence, B. A. Campbell, R. Elphic, B. Feldman, L. L. Hood, D. Hunten, et al. (2006)
Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry 60, 83-219
   Full Text »    PDF »
The Constitution and Structure of the Lunar Interior.
M. A. Wieczorek, B. L. Jolliff, A. Khan, M. E. Pritchard, B. P. Weiss, J. G. Williams, L. L. Hood, K. Righter, C. R. Neal, C. K. Shearer, et al. (2006)
Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry 60, 221-364
   Full Text »    PDF »
Development of the Moon.
M. B. Duke, L. R. Gaddis, G. J. Taylor, and H. H. Schmitt (2006)
Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry 60, 597-655
   Full Text »    PDF »
Pinpointing the Source of a Lunar Meteorite: Implications for the Evolution of the Moon.
E. Gnos, B. A. Hofmann, A. Al-Kathiri, S. Lorenzetti, O. Eugster, M. J. Whitehouse, I. M. Villa, A. J. T. Jull, J. Eikenberg, B. Spettel, et al. (2004)
Science 305, 657-659
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Gamma-Ray Astrophysic: A New Look at the Universe.
J. Trombka, C. Fichtel, J. Grindlay, and R. Hofstadter (1978)
Science 202, 933-938
   Abstract »    PDF »
Chemistry of Lunar Basalts with Very High Alumina Contents.
N. J. Hubbard, N. J. Hubbard, J. M. Rhodes, and P. W. Gast (1973)
Science 181, 339-342
   Abstract »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)