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Detailed Reference Information |
Hunten, D.M., Kozlowski, R.W.H. and Sprague, A.L. (1991). A possible meteor shower on the Moon. Geophysical Research Letters 18: doi: 10.1029/91GL02543. issn: 0094-8276. |
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Over the 3-day period from 12 to 14 October, 1990, the sodium abundance in the lunar atmosphere at 80¿ South increased by 60%, while interspersed measurements at the equator showed no substantial change. The source is suggested to be an unknown meteor shower with a radiant near the south ecliptic pole. A low relative velocity of ~20 km/sec, combined with a small particle masses, would keep the shower below the detectability threshold of radar. The stream could evolve from a reasonable asteroidal or cometary orbit with perihelion somewhat greater than 1 astronomical unit (AU) and a major axis of a few AU. The short residence time of lunar sodium makes it more favorable than the terestrial sodium layer for detection of such an event. ¿American Geophysical Union 1991 |
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Abstract |
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Keywords
Planetology, Solid Surface Planets and Satellites, Atmospheric composition and chemistry, Planetology, Solid Surface Planets and Satellites, Surfaces, Planetology, Comets and Small Bodies, Dust |
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Publisher
American Geophysical Union 2000 Florida Avenue N.W. Washington, D.C. 20009-1277 USA 1-202-462-6900 1-202-328-0566 service@agu.org |
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