Impacting Lunar Prospector in a cold trap to detect water ice Journal Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Lunar Prospector data support the contention that water ice reservoirs exist in the permanently shaded craters near the lunar poles. Yet the question remains whether the detected hydrogen abundance is actually water ice or is hydrogen in some other form. Present plans call for a controlled impact of Lunar Prospector into a polar crater at the end of July, 1999, in an attempt to liberate a small amount of water vapor that may be detected by ground‐ and space‐based observatories. A positive spectral detection of water vapor or its photo‐dissociated byproduct, OH, would be definite proof of the presence of water ice in the regolith. The following represents both an analysis of this method of searching for water ice as well as an announcement to the observing community of the event.

publication date

  • June 15, 1999

Date in CU Experts

  • February 5, 2026 12:46 PM

Full Author List

  • Goldstein DB; Nerem RS; Barker ES; Austin JV; Binder AB; Feldman WC

author count

  • 6

Other Profiles

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 0094-8276

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1944-8007

Additional Document Info

start page

  • 1653

end page

  • 1656

volume

  • 26

issue

  • 12