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Science 4 September 1998:
Vol. 281. no. 5382, pp. 1489 - 1493
DOI: 10.1126/science.281.5382.1489
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Reports

Major Compositional Units of the Moon: Lunar Prospector Thermal and Fast Neutrons

W. C. Feldman, * B. L. Barraclough, S. Maurice, R. C. Elphic, D. J. Lawrence, D. R. Thomsen, A. B. Binder

Global maps of thermal and fast neutron fluxes from the moon suggest three end-member compositional units. A high thermal and low fast neutron flux unit correlates with the lunar highlands and is consistent with feldspathic rocks. The South Pole-Aitken basin and a strip that surrounds the nearside maria have intermediate thermal and fast neutron flux levels, consistent with more mafic rocks. There appears to be a smooth transition between the most mafic and feldspathic compositions, which correspond to low and high surface altitudes, respectively. The maria show low thermal and high fast neutron fluxes, consistent with basaltic rocks.

W. C. Feldman, B. L. Barraclough, R. C. Elphic, D. J. Lawrence, D. R. Thomsen, Los Alamos National Laboratory, MS D-466, Los Alamos NM 87545, USA. S. Maurice, Observatoire Midi-Pyrenees, 14 avenue Ed Belin, 31400 Toulouse, France. A. B. Binder, Lunar Research Institute, 1180 Sunrise Drive, Gilroy, CA 95020, USA.
*   To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: wfeldman{at}lanl.gov

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THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Global Distribution of Neutrons from Mars: Results from Mars Odyssey.
W. C. Feldman, W. V. Boynton, R. L. Tokar, T. H. Prettyman, O. Gasnault, S. W. Squyres, R. C. Elphic, D. J. Lawrence, S. L. Lawson, S. Maurice, et al. (2002)
Science 297, 75-78
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Flood Basalts, Basalt Floods or Topless Bushvelds? Lunar Petrogenesis Revisited.
M. J. O'HARA (2000)
J. Petrology 41, 1545-1651
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Fluxes of Fast and Epithermal Neutrons from Lunar Prospector: Evidence for Water Ice at the Lunar Poles.
W. C. Feldman, S. Maurice, A. B. Binder, B. L. Barraclough, R. C. Elphic, and D. J. Lawrence (1998)
Science 281, 1496-1500
   Abstract »    Full Text »


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