Journal
PLANETARY AND SPACE SCIENCE
Volume 57, Issue 1, Pages 78-82Publisher
PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.pss.2008.11.009
Keywords
Moon; Surface charging; Secondary electron emission; Lunar Prospector
Categories
Funding
- NASA [NNG06GJ23G, NNX07AG10G]
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We present the first in situ measurements of the secondary electron emission efficiency of lunar regolith, utilizing Lunar Prospector measurements of secondary electrons emitted from the negatively charged night side and accelerated upward by surface electric fields. By comparing measurements of secondary currents emitted from the surface and incident primary electron currents, we find that the secondary yield of lunar regolith is a factor of similar to 3 lower than that measured for samples in the laboratory. This lower yield significantly affects current balance at the lunar surface and the resulting equilibrium surface potentials. This information must be folded into models of the near-surface plasma sheath, in order to predict the effects on dust and other components of the lunar environment, and ultimately determine the importance for surface exploration and scientific investigations on the Moon. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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