NASA reveals initial results from lunar gravitational mapping probes
SEP 17, 2012
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.026346
Nature : NASA has provided a sneak peak at data gathered by the twin probes of the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory mission. The two spacecraft, Ebb and Flow, entered orbit around the Moon in March 2012. They have been mapping the lunar gravitational field by measuring minute fluctuations in their positions relative to each other. The new map has three to four times the resolution of previous maps. The new data suggest that the possible thickness of the lunar crust in places is only 30 km, well below previous estimates of 45 km. The orbiters also saw a high average correlation between surface topography and the gravitational variance, which is unusual compared with the lower correlation seen on Earth and other terrestrial bodies.
© 2012 American Institute of Physics
