Abstract
A systematic spectroscopic study including Raman, Mid-IR, NIR, and VIS-NIR, is used to investigate four endmember lunar soils. Apollo soils (<45 μm) 14163, 15271, 67511, and 71501 were selected as endmembers to study, based on their soil chemistry, maturity against space weathering, and the sampling locations. These endmembers include an anorthositic highlands soil (67511), a low-Ti basaltic soil (15271), a high-Ti basaltic soil (71501), and a mafic, KREEPy, impact-melt-rich soil (14163). We used a laser Raman point-counting procedure to derive mineral modes of the soils and the compositional distributions of major mineral phases, which in turn reflect characteristics of the main source materials for these soils. The Mid-IR, NIR, and VIS-NIR spectroscopic properties also yield distinct information on mineralogy, geochemistry, and maturity among the four soils. Knowledge of the mineralogy resulting from the Raman point-counting procedure corresponds well with bulk mineralogy and soil properties based on Mid-IR, NIR, and VIS-NIR spectroscopy. The future synergistic application of these spectroscopy methods on the Moon will provide a linkage between the results from in situ surface exploration and those from orbital remote-sensing observations.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References cited
Adams, J. B., 1974. Visible and Near Infrared Diffuse Reflectance Spectra of Pyroxene as Applied to Remote Sensing of Solid Objects in the Solar System. Journal of Geophysical Research, 79(32): 4829–4836
Bell, J. F., Squyres, S. W., Herkenhoff, K. E., et al., 2003. Mars Exploration Rover Athena Panoramic Camera (Pancam) Investigation. Journal of Geophysical Ressearch, 108(E12): 8063
Bibring, J. P., Langevin, Y., Gendrin, A., et al., 2005. Mars Surface Diversity as Revealed by the OMEGA/Mars Express Observations. Science, 307(5715): 1576–1581
Christensen, P. R., Bandfield, J. L., Hamilton, V. E., et al., 2001. Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer Experiment: Investigation Description and Surface Science Results. Journal of Geophysical Research, 106(E10): 23823–23871
Christensen, P. R., Jakosky, B., Kieffer, H. H., et al., 2004. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) for the Mars 2001 Odyssey Mission. Space Science Reviews, 110(1–2): 85–130
Christensen, P. R., Mehall, G. L., Silverman, S. H., et al., 2003. Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer for the Mars Exploration Rovers. Journal of Geophysical Research, 108(E12): 8064
Clark, R. N., 2009. Detection of Adsorbed Water and Hydroxyl on the Moon. Science, 326(5952): 562–564
Freeman, J. J., Wang, A., Kuebler, K. E., et al., 2008. Characterization of Natural Feldspars by Raman Spectroscopy for Future Planetary Exploration. Canadian Mineralogist, 46: 1477–1500
Haskin, L. A., Wang, A., Rockow, K. M., et al., 1997. Raman Spectroscopy for Mineral Identification and Quantification for in situ Planetary Surface Analysis: A Point Count Method. Journal of Geophysical Research, 102(E8): 19293–19306
Isaacson, P. J., Pieters, C. M., 2007. Spectroscopic Investigation of the Water Content of Lunar Soil. In: Proceedings of 38th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. Huston, United States
Jolliff, B. L., Hughes, J. M., Freeman, J. J., et al., 2006. Crystal Chemistry of Lunar Merrillite and Comparison to Other Meteoritic and Planetary Suites of Whitlockite and Merrillite. American Mineralogist, 91(10): 1583–1595
Kuebler, K. E., Jolliff, B. L., Wang, A., et al., 2006. Extracting Olivine (Fo-Fa) Compositions from Raman Spectral Peak Positions. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 70(24): 6201–6222
Ling, Z. C., Wang, A., Jolliff, B. L., 2011. Mineralogy and Geochemistry of Four Lunar Soils by Laser-Raman Study. Icarus, 211(1): 101–113
Matsunaga, T., Ohtake, M., Haruyama, J., et al., 2008. Discoveries on the Lithology of Lunar Crater Central Peaks by SELENE Spectral Profiler. Geophyssical Research Letters, 35(23): L23201
Morris, R. V., 1978. The Surface Exposure (Maturity) of Lunar Soils—Some Concepts and Is/FeO Compilation. In: Proceedings of 9th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. Huston, United States
Murchie, S., Arvidson, R., Bedini, P., et al., 2007. Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). Journal of Geophysical Research, 112: E05S03
Paige, D. A., Foote, M. C., Greenhagen, B. T., et al., 2010. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment. Space Science Reviews, 150(1–4): 125–160
Pieters, C. M., Englert, P. A. J., 1993. Remote Geochemical Analysis, Elemental and Mineralogical Composition. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Pieters, C. M., Fischer, E. M., Rode, O., et al., 1993. Optical Effects of Space Weathering—The Role of the Finest Fraction. Journal of Geophysical Research, 98(E11): 20817–20824
Pieters, C. M., Goswami, J. N., Clark, R. N., et al., 2009. Character and Spatial Distribution of OH/H2O on the Surface of the Moon Seen by M-3 on Chandrayaan-1. Science, 326(5952): 568–572
Pieters, C. M., Shkuratov, Y., Kaydash, V., et al., 2006. Lunar Soil Characterization Consortium Analyses: Pyroxene and Maturity Estimates Derived from Clementine Image Data. Icarus, 184(1): 83–101
Sunshine, J. M., Farnham, T. L., Feaga, L. M., et al., 2009. Temporal and Spatial Variability of Lunar Hydration as Observed by the Deep Impact Spacecraft. Science, 326(5952): 565–568
Wang, A., Haskin, L. A., Lane, A. L., et al., 2003. Development of the Mars Microbeam Raman Spectrometer (MMRS). Journal of Geophysical Research, 108(E1): 5005
Wang, A., Jolliff, B. L., Haskin, L. A., 1995. Raman-Spectroscopy as a Method for Mineral Identification on Lunar Robotic Exploration Missions. Journal of Geophysical Research, 100(E10): 21189–21199
Wang, A., Jolliff, B. L., Haskin, L. A., et al., 2001. Characterization and Comparison of Structural and Compositional Features of Planetary Quadrilateral Pyroxenes by Raman Spectroscopy. American Mineralogist, 86(7–8): 790–806
Wang, A., Kuebler, K. E., Jolliff, B. L., et al., 2004. Raman Spectroscopy of Fe-Ti-Cr-Oxides, Case Study: Martian Meteorite EETA79001. American Mineralogist, 89(5–6): 665–680
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
This study was supported by the Funds from Shandong University and Washington University, the Postdoctoral Science Foundation of China (No. 20090450580), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 11003012), the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (No. ZR2011AQ001), and the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (Nos. 2009AA122201, 2010AA122200).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ling, Z., Wang, A. & Jolliff, B.L. A systematic spectroscopic study of four Apollo lunar soils. J. Earth Sci. 22, 578–585 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12583-011-0208-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12583-011-0208-3