Open AccessMapping the Predicted Solar Wind Hydrogen Flux in Lunar South Pole Craters
Author(s) -
Dov Rhodes,
W. M. Farrell
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
the planetary science journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2632-3338
DOI - 10.3847/psj/ab8939
Subject(s) - impact crater , lunar craters , flux (metallurgy) , solar wind , astrobiology , sputtering , orbiter , altimeter , geology , hydrogen , geophysics , plasma , geodesy , materials science , physics , astronomy , thin film , quantum mechanics , metallurgy , nanotechnology
The solar wind hydrogen flux is mapped onto the topography of four lunar south pole craters; Shackleton, Haworth, Shoemaker and Faustini. Using altimetry data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, we apply an analytic plasma model to map the hydrogen flux onto the surface, time-averaged over a lunar rotation cycle. We present a series of maps including the average flux, geomagnetic modulation, and ion flow energy. These results are intended to inform further studies of dynamic lunar surface processes, such as volatile implantation, sputtering, and weathering. As an example, we also present a map of a surface ice sheet lifetime based on ion sputtering.