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Mapping the elemental composition of the moon: Current results of the Lunar Prospector gamma ray spectrometer

Conference ·
OSTI ID:291106
; ; ;  [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
  2. Lunar Research Inst., Gilroy, CA (United States)
  3. Observatoire Midi-Pyrenees, Toulouse (France)
One of the instruments on board the recently launched Lunar Prospector spacecraft is a Gamma-Ray Spectrometer (GRS) designed to map the surface elemental composition of the Moon. Specifically, the objectives of the GRS are to map abundances of Fe, Ti, U, Th, K, Si, O and if possible Mg, Al, and Ca. The GRS consists of a bismuth germanate (BGO) crystal placed within a well shaped borated plastic scintillator anti-coincidence (ACS) shield. Events triggering only the BGO are labeled as accepted events; events triggering both the BGO and ACS are labeled as rejected events. BGO spectra for both accepted and rejected events are telemetered to the ground for later analysis. Results of the study are given.
Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-36
OSTI ID:
291106
Report Number(s):
LA-UR--98-1990; CONF-980770--; ON: DE99000661
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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