The Agents of Aging Space Weathering is the physical and chemical changes to the surface of a planetary body that lacks an atmosphere to protect it.
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Impact craters expose underlying material
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How I map mare basalts using "fresh crater probes"
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Front side of Moon mapped
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What are Lunar Squirrels?
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What are Lunar Swirls?
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Associated with magnetic anomalies The Moon does not have a global magnetic field
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Impart no topography
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Are bright & optically immature
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Hypotheses for swirl formation
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My contribution to understanding swirls 3 major results support the hypothesis that the magnetic field prevents the swirl surfaces from weathering at a normal rate
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Distribution of fresh craters
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Comparing on-swirl and off-swirl spectra
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Compositions from fresh craters
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Iron and ilmenite: Light suckers
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The swirls stay dry
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Summary & Conclusions
Description:
Explore the fascinating lunar phenomenon of swirls in this 42-minute seminar presentation by Dr. Georgiana Kramer, Staff Scientist at LPI. Delve into the unique characteristics of lunar swirls, their association with magnetic anomalies, and competing hypotheses for their formation. Learn about space weathering processes on the Moon and how swirls defy typical aging patterns. Discover Dr. Kramer's research findings using orbital spectroscopic data, which support the theory that magnetic anomalies shield swirl surfaces from solar wind weathering. Gain insights into the broader implications of studying lunar swirls for understanding solar wind interactions, space weathering, and complex electromagnetic phenomena in the Solar System. Follow the presentation outline covering topics such as lunar composition, reflectance spectroscopy, mare basalt mapping, and the distribution of water on the Moon's surface.
The Weather on the Moon and the Mystery of the Swirls