Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 12, 2026
06:14
Simulating Imaging of Large Scale Radio Arrays on the Lunar Surface
Published on: July 30, 2020
Magnetic properties of lunar samples
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|January 30, 1970
Summary
Magnetic properties of Apollo 11 lunar samples reveal submicroscopic native iron as the primary magnetic constituent. Some samples exhibit weak, unstable remanent magnetization, crucial for understanding lunar magnetic history.
Area of Science:
- Lunar geology
- Geophysics
- Mineralogy
Background:
- Apollo 11 mission returned lunar rock and fines.
- Understanding the magnetic properties of lunar samples is key to deciphering the Moon's magnetic field history.
Purpose of the Study:
- Characterize the magnetic properties of Apollo 11 lunar samples.
- Identify the primary magnetic constituents and their contribution to magnetization.
- Assess the remanent magnetization stability of different sample types.
Main Methods:
- Magnetic property measurements on rock, fines, and magnetic separates.
- Microscopic analysis to identify mineralogical constituents.
Main Results:
- Submicroscopic native iron (or nickel-iron) is the dominant magnetic component.
- Ilmenite, paramagnetic iron minerals, and iron-titanium oxides contribute minor magnetic effects.
- Micro-breccia samples quickly acquired viscous magnetization with little stable remanence.
- Crystalline samples showed weak but somewhat stable natural remanence.
Conclusions:
- Native iron is the principal source of magnetism in these Apollo 11 samples.
- The magnetic stability varies significantly between different lunar sample types.
- Findings contribute to the understanding of lunar magnetic fields and sample magnetization.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:31Magnetic Susceptibility and Permeability
In linear magnetic materials, like paramagnets and diamagnets, magnetization is proportional to the magnetic field intensity. The constant of proportionality, a dimensionless number, is called magnetic susceptibility. The value of the susceptibility depends on the type of material.
When diamagnetic materials are placed under an external magnetic field, the moments opposite to the field are induced. Hence, the susceptibility for diamagnets has a minimal negative value of 10-5–10-6. Since...
When diamagnetic materials are placed under an external magnetic field, the moments opposite to the field are induced. Hence, the susceptibility for diamagnets has a minimal negative value of 10-5–10-6. Since...
01:28Magnetic Fields
A moving charge or a current creates a magnetic field in the surrounding space, in addition to its electric field. The magnetic field exerts a force on any other moving charge or current that is present in the field. Like an electric field, the magnetic field is also a vector field. At any position, the direction of the magnetic field is defined as the direction in which the north pole of a compass needle points.
A magnetic field is defined by the force that a charged particle experiences...
A magnetic field is defined by the force that a charged particle experiences...
01:30Magnetism
Magnets are commonly found in everyday objects, such as toys, hangers, elevators, doorbells, and computer devices. Experimentation on these magnets shows that all magnets have two poles: one is labeled north (N) and the other south (S). Magnetic poles repel if they are alike and attract if unlike. Moreover, both poles of a magnet attract unmagnetized pieces of iron.
An individual magnetic pole cannot be isolated. No matter how small, every piece of a magnet contains a north pole and a south...
An individual magnetic pole cannot be isolated. No matter how small, every piece of a magnet contains a north pole and a south...
01:23Magnetic Moment of an Electron
Electrons revolving around a nucleus are analogous to a circular current carrying loop. This current produces a magnetic dipole moment proportional to the electron's orbital angular momentum. Since the orbital angular momentum is quantized in terms of the reduced Planck's constant, the dipole moment is quantized in the Bohr Magneton. The value of the Bohr magneton is 9.27 x 10-24 Am2. Electrons also have an intrinsic spin angular momentum, and the associated spin magnetic moment is...
01:26Diamagnetism
Materials consisting of paired electrons have zero net magnetic moments. However, when these materials are placed under an external magnetic field, the moments opposite to the field are induced. Such materials are called diamagnets. Diamagnetism is the response of the diamagnets when placed in an external magnetic field.
Diamagnetism was discovered by Anton Brugmans in 1778 when he observed that bismuth gets repelled by magnetic fields, thus theorizing that diamagnets get repelled by magnets.
Diamagnetism was discovered by Anton Brugmans in 1778 when he observed that bismuth gets repelled by magnetic fields, thus theorizing that diamagnets get repelled by magnets.
01:05Atomic Nuclei: Magnetic Resonance
The number of nuclear spins aligned in the lower energy state is slightly greater than those in the higher energy state. In the presence of an external magnetic field, as the spins precess at the Larmor frequency, the excess population results in a net magnetization oriented along the z axis. When a pulse or a short burst of radio waves at the Larmor frequency is applied along the x axis, the coupling of frequencies causes resonance and flips the nuclear spins of the excess population from the...