This paper was presented at the Art, Science and Applications of Reflectance Spectroscopy Symposium sponsored by ASD Inc. and IEEE GRSS, February 23-25, 2010 in Boulder, Colorado.

Authors: Carle Pieters, The M3 Team
Affiliation: Brown University, Providence, RI  USA

Abstract

Spectroscopy is revolutionizing our understanding of the Moon. The Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3 or “M-cube) has acquired first order imaging spectroscopy data to do just what its name implies, map the mineralogy across the surface of the Moon. M3 data (4 billion near-infrared spectra) were acquired during 10 months in lunar orbit on the Indian spacecraft Chandrayaan-1, which ended its mission prematurely August 2009. Image cubes of reflectance spectra (400 to 3000 nm) acquired at 140-280 m/pixel cover more than 90% of the surface. The diversity of rock types (both known and newly discovered) are being identified and mapped across the surface using M3 data and reveal the geologic evolution of this small planetary body. Large basins, in particular, provide remarkable exposures of bedrock that provide detailed constraints about crustal composition and stratigraphy.