Lecture 5

Question 1

SWIP

Answer 1

Solar Wind implanted particles

Question 2

Most abundant materials in SW

Answer 2

• H
• He
• C
• N
• O

Question 3

Dependency on lunar chemistry

Answer 3

• He & Ne contents are much higher in Ilmenite than other minerals
• Bc most TiO2 on moon is ilmenite, He/Ne correlates with TiO2
• No such correlation for H, C, N, & heavy noble gases

Question 4

Locations

Answer 4

• moon spends ca. 1/4 of its time in tail of earth’s magnetosphere
• more SWIP on far side of moon
• Regional variation due to local magnetic anomalies

Question 5

Sulfur

Answer 5

• abundance of >125 ppm
• High-Ti mare basalts have 0.16-0.27 wt%
• primarily available as sulphide in troilite, larger deposits may exist
• melts at ca. 113-119°C
• Uses
  
  • use as concrete
  • use as sealant
  • use as fluid

Question 6

Carbon

Answer 6

• Sources:
  
  • Solar wind
  • Volatilisation during impact/agglutination
  • Outgassing & release of CO/CO2 due to thermal metamorphism

Question 7

3He - Facts

Answer 7

• used as energy source on earth & space
• more common stable natural isotope is 4He
• lunar 3He abundance up to 15 ppb in sunlit areas & 50 ppb in permanent shadow
• high abundances may be found in High-Ti basalts at mare tranquillitatis & Oceanus procellarum

Question 8

3He - Fusion

Answer 8

• D - T fusion cycle: D + T -> n(14.1MeV) + 4He (3.5 MeV)
  
  • 80% of energy released as neutrons, can cause damage to reactor wall materials
• D - 3He fusion cycle: D + 3He -> p(14.7 MeV) + 3He(3.7MeV)
  
  • releases far fewer neutrons than DT reaction
  • energy output can be converted to electricity at high efficiencies
  • Lower radioactivity, lower risk, fewer radioactive waste
  • BUT: requires higher plasma T & more stringent confinement conditions

Question 9

Rare Earth Elements REE

Answer 9

• a group of 17 metallic elements with similar physical/chemical properties
• tend to occur together in same mineral deposits but in very dispersed form
• diversity of REE-bearing deposits makes extraction/processing techniques variable & complex
• divided into Light, Middle, Heavy REE

Question 10

Platinum Group Metals

Answer 10

• six noble precious metallic elements with similar physical & chemical properties
• Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt