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Detailed Reference Information |
Johnson, J.R., Swindle, T.D. and Lucey, P.G. (1999). Estimated solar wind-implanted helium-3 distribution on the Moon. Geophysical Research Letters 26: doi: 10.1029/1998GL900305. issn: 0094-8276. |
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Among the solar wind-implanted volatiles present in the lunar regolith, 3He is possibly the most valuable resource because of its potential as a fusion fuel. The abundance of 3He in the lunar regolith at a given location depends on surface maturity, the amount of solar wind fluence, and titanium content, because ilmenite (FeTiO3) retains helium much better than other major lunar minerals. Surface maturity and TiO2 maps from Clementine multispectral data sets are combined here with a solar wind fluence model to produce a 3He abundance map of the Moon. Comparison of the predicted 3He values to landing site observations shows good correlation. The highest 3He abundances occur in the farside maria (due to greater solar wind fluence received) and in higher TiO2 nearside mare regions. ¿ 1999 American Geophysical Union |
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Abstract |
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Keywords
Planetology, Solar System Objects, Moon, Interplanetary Physics, Energetic particles, solar, Planetology, Solid Surface Planets, Surface materials and properties, Magnetospheric Physics, Solar wind/magnetosphere interactions |
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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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