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Luminescence of apollo 11 lunar samples
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|January 30, 1970
Summary
Lunar rock luminescence is very low, suggesting minimal contribution to observed lunar glow. Terrestrial rocks and minerals show higher luminescence, with willemite being exceptionally bright.
Area of Science:
- Geology
- Planetary Science
- Photophysics
Background:
- The Moon exhibits luminescence, a phenomenon requiring investigation into its sources.
- Understanding lunar luminescence is key to characterizing its surface composition and processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the luminescence efficiencies of lunar rocks and compare them with terrestrial samples.
- To assess the potential contribution of Apollo 11 site materials to overall lunar luminescence.
Main Methods:
- Luminescence measurements were performed on four lunar rocks, two terrestrial rocks (granite, gabbro), and one terrestrial mineral (willemite).
- Spectral curves were compared against a barium sulfate standard for accurate efficiency determination.
- Excitation was carried out using ultraviolet light at 3000 angstroms.
Main Results:
- Lunar samples exhibited low luminescence efficiencies (< 6 x 10^-5).
- Terrestrial gabbro, similar in composition to lunar samples, showed comparable low efficiency (< 8 x 10^-5).
- Granite had a higher efficiency (approx. 10^-4), while willemite showed significantly higher luminescence (approx. 2 x 10^-2).
Conclusions:
- The luminescence efficiency of Apollo 11 lunar samples is very low.
- These findings suggest that the Apollo 11 site materials contribute minimally to observed lunar luminescence.
- Terrestrial rocks and minerals display a wide range of luminescence properties, with some significantly exceeding lunar samples.
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