Abstract
The paper presents the scientific tasks, description, and comparison of various gamma and neutron spectrometers that can be installed on board a medium-class lunar rover with a mass up to 100 kg. As a specific example, we consider the scientific equipment proposed for the future Russian mission Luna-Grunt, the main purpose of which is the delivery of lunar polar regolith samples to the Earth. Presumably, the payload of this mission allows for inclusion of a small lunar rover with a mass between 30 and 100 kg. For this reason, the paper considers options for a gamma and neutron spectrometer that would allow finding the optimal ratio between scientific requirements and resources available on board such a lunar rover.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Beyerle, A., Hurley, J.P., and Tunnell, L., Design of an associated particle imaging system, Nucl. Instrum. Methods, 1990, vol. 299, nos. 1–3, pp. 458–462.
Boynton, W.V., Feldman, W.C., Squyres, S.W., Prettyman, T.H., Bruckner, J., Evans, L.G., Reedy, R.C., Starr, R., Arnold, J.R., Drake, D.M., Englert, P.A., Metzger, A.E., Mitrofanov, I., Trombka, J., d’Uston, C., et al., Distribution of hydrogen in the near surface of Mars: evidence for subsurface ice deposits, Science, 2002, vol. 297, pp. 81–85.
Boynton, W.V., Feldman, W.C., Mitrofanov, I.G., Evans, L.G., Reedy, R.C., Squyres, S.W., Starr, R., Trombka, J., D’Uston, C., Arnold, J.R., Englert, P.A., Metzger, A.E., Wanke, H., Bruckner, J., Drake, D.M., et al., The Mars Odyssey gamma-ray spectrometer instrument suite, Space Sci. Rev., 2004, vol. 110, pp. 37–83.
Boynton, W.V., Taylor, G.J., Evans, L.G., Reedy, R.C., Starr, R., Janes, D.M., Kerry, K.E., Drake, D.M., Kim, K.J., Williams, R.M.S., Crombie, M.K., Dohm, J.M., Baker, V., Metzger, A.E., Karunatillake, S., et al., Concentration of H, Si, Cl, K, Fe, and Th in the low- and mid-latitude regions of Mars, J. Geophys. Res.: Planets, 2006, vol. 112, p. E12S99.
Bystritsky, V.M., Gerasimov, V.V., Kadyshevsky, V.G., Kobzev, A.P., Nozdrin, A.A., Rogov, Yu.N., Rapatsky, V.L., Sadovsky, A.B., Salamatin, A.V., Sapozhnikov, M.G., Sissakian, A.N., Slepnev, I.V., Slepnev, V.M., Utkin, V.A., Zamyatin, N.I., et al., DViN—stationary setup for identification of explosives, Phys. Part. Nucl. Lett., 2008, vol. 5, pp. 441–446.
Bystritsky, V.M., Zamyatin, N.I., Zubarev, E.V., Rapatsky, V.L., Rogov, Yu.N., Romanov, I.V., Sadovsky, A.B., Salamatin, A.V., Sapozhnikov, M.G., Safonov, M.V., Slepnev, V.M., and Philipov, A.V., Stationary setup for identifying explosives using the tagged neutron method, Phys. Part. Nucl. Lett., 2013, vol. 10, pp. 442–446.
Evans, L.G., Reedy, R.C., Starr, R.D., Kerry, K.E., and Boynton, W.V., Analysis of gamma ray spectra measured by Mars Odyssey, J. Geophys. Res.: Planets, 2006, vol. 111, p. E03S04.
Evans, L.G., Peplowski, P.N., Rhodes, E.A., Lawrence, D.J., McCoy, T.J., Nittler, L.R., Solomon, S.C., Sprague, A.L., Stockstill-Cahill, K.R., Starr, R.D., Weider, S.Z., Boynton, W.V., Hamara, D.K., and Goldsten, J.O., Major-element abundances on the surface of Mercury: results from the MESSENGER gamma-ray spectrometer, J. Geophys. Res.: Planets, 2012, vol. 117, p. E00L07.
Goldsten, J.O., Rhodes, E.A., Boynton, W.V., Feldman, W.C., Lawrence, D.J., Trombka, J., Smith, D.M., Evans, L.G., White, J., Madden, N.W., Berg, P.C., Murphy, G.A., Gurnee, R.S., Strohbehn, K., Williams, B.D., et al., The MESSENGER gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer, Space Sci. Rev., 2007, vol. 131, pp. 339–391.
Golovin, D., Litvak, M., Kozyrev, A., Tretiyakov, V., Sanin, A., Vostrukhin, A., Mitrofanov, I., and Malakhov, A., Neutron activation analysis on the surface of the Moon and other terrestrial planets, Proc. 40th COSPAR Scientific Assembly, Moscow, 2014, no. B0.1-43-14.
Golovin, D.V., Litvak, M.L., Mitrofanov, I.G., Vostrukhin, A.A., Dubasov, P.V., Zontikov, A.O., Kozyrev, A.S., Krylov, A.R., Krylov, V.A., Mokrousov, M.I., Repkin, A.N., Sanin, A.B., Timoshenko, G.N., Udovichenko, K.V., and Shvetsov, V.N., Comparison of sensitivities of semiconductor (HPGe) and scintillation (CeBr3) detectors in the measurement of gamma spectra induced by neutrons in the model of planetary soil, Phys. Part. Nucl. Lett., 2018, vol. 15, no. 5, pp. 524–530.
Grotzinger, J.P., Crisp, J., Vasavada, A.R., Anderson, R.C., Baker, C.J., Barry, R., Blake, D.F., Conrad, P., Edgett, K.S., Ferdowski, B., Gellert, R., Gilbert, J.B., Golombek, M., Gómez-Elvira, J., Hassler, D.M., et al., Mars science laboratory mission and science investigation, Space Sci. Rev., 2012, vol. 170, pp. 5–56.
Hasebe, N., Shibamura, E., Miyachi, T., Takashima, T., Kobayashi, M., Okudaira, O., Yamashita, N., Kobayashi, S., Karouji, Y., Hareyama, M., Kodaira, S., Hayatsu, K., Iwabuchi, K., Nemoto, S., Sakurai, K., et al., High performance germanium gamma-ray spectrometer on Lunar polar orbiter SELENE (KAGUYA), Trans. Space Technol. Jpn., 2010, vol. 7, pp. 35–41.
Litvak, M.L., Mitrofanov, I.G., Barmakov, Yu.N., Behar, A., Bitulev, A., Bobrovnitsky, Yu., Bogolubov, E.P., Boynton, W.V., Bragin, S.I., Churin, S., Grebennikov, A.S., Konovalov, A., Kozyrev, A.S., Kurdumov, I.G., Krylov, A., et al., The Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) experiment for NASA’s 2009 Mars Science Laboratory, Astrobiology, 2008, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 605–612.
Litvak, M.L., Mitrofanov, I.G., Sanin, A.B., Lisov, D.I., Behar, A., Boynton, W.V., Deflores, L., Fedosov, F., Golovin, D., Hardgrove, C., Harshman, K., Jun, I., Kozyrev, A.S., Kuzmin, R.O., Malakhov, A., et al., Local variations of bulk hydrogen and chlorine-equivalent neutron absorption content measured at the contact between the Sheepbed and Gillespie Lake units in Yellowknife Bay, Gale Crater, using the DAN instrument onboard Curiosity, J. Geophys. Res.: Planets, 2014, vol. 119, no. 6, pp. 1259–1275.
Litvak, M.L., Mitrofanov, I.G., Hardgrove, C., Stack, K.M., Sanin, A.B., Lisov, D., Boynton, W.V., Fedosov, F., Golovin, D., Harshman, K., Jun, I., Kozyrev, A.S., Kuzmin, R.O., Malakhov, A., Milliken, R., et al., Hydrogen and chlorine abundances in the Kimberley formation of Gale crater measured by the DAN instrument on board the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover, J. Geophys. Res.: Planets, 2016, vol. 21, no. 5, pp. 836–845.
Litvak, M.L., Sanin, A.B., Golovin, D.V., Jun, I., Mitrofanov, I.G., Shvetsov, V.N., Timoshenko, G.N., and Vostrukhin, A.A., Ground tests with prototype of CeBr3 active gamma ray spectrometer proposed for future Venus surface missions, Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res.,Sect. A, 2017, vol. 848, pp. 9–18.
Litvak, M.L., Barmakov, Y.N., Belichenko, S.G., Bestaev, R.R., Bogolubov, E.P., Gavrychenkov, A.V., Kozyrev, A.S., Mitrofanov, I.G., Nosov, A.V., Sanin, A.B., Shvetsov, V.N., Yurkov, D.I., and Zverev, V.I., Associated particle imaging instrumentation for future planetary surface missions, Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res.,Sect. A, 2019, vol. 922, pp. 19–27.
Mitrofanov, I., Anfimov, D., Kozyrev, A., Litvak, M., Sanin, A., Tret’yakov, V., Krylov, A., Shvetsov, V., Boynton, W., Shinohara, C., Hamara, D., and Saunders, R.S., Maps of Subsurface Hydrogen from the high energy neutron detector, Mars Odyssey, Science, 2002, vol. 297, no. 5578. P. 78–81.
Mitrofanov, I.G., Kozyrev, A.S., Konovalov, A., Litvak, M.L., Malakhov, A.A., Mokrousov, M.I., Sanin, A.B., Tret’ykov, V.I., Vostrukhin, A.V., Bobrovnitskij, Yu.I., Tomilina, T.M., Gurvits, L., and Owens, A., The Mercury Gamma and Neutron Spectrometer (MGNS) on board the planetary orbiter of the BepiColombo mission, Planet. Space Sci., 2010, vol. 58, nos. 1–2, pp. 116–124.
Mitrofanov, I.G., Litvak, M.L., Barmakov, Yu.I., Behar, A., Bobrovnitsky, Yu.I., Bogolubov, E.P., Boynton, W.V., Harshman, K., Kan, E., Kozyrev, A.S., Kuzmin, R.O., Malakhov, A.V., Mokrousov, M.I., Ryzhkov, V.I., Sanin, A.B., Smirnov, G.A., et al., Experiment for measurements of Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons (DAN) onboard NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory, Space Sci. Rev., 2012, vol. 170, nos. 1–4, pp. 559–582.
Mitrofanov, I.G., Litvak, M.L., Sanin, A.B., Starr, R.D., Lisov, D.I., Kuzmin, R.O., Behar, A., Boynton, W.V., Hardgrove, C., Harshman, K., Jun, I., Milliken, R.E., Mischna, M.A., Moersch, J.E., and Tate, C.G., Water and chlorine content in the Martian soil along the first 1900 m of the Curiosity rover traverse as estimated by the DAN instrument, J. Geophys. Res.: Planets, 2014, vol. 119, no. 7, pp. 1579–1596.
Mitrofanov, I.G., Litvak, M.L., Nikiforov, S.Y., Jun, I., Bobrovnitsky, Y.I., Golovin, D.V., Grebennikov, A.S., Fedosov, F.S., Kozyrev, A.S., Lisov, D.I., Malakhov, A.V., Mokrousov, M.I., Sanin, A.B., Shvetsov, V.N., Timoshenko, G.N., et al., The ADRON-RM instrument onboard the ExoMars Rover, Astrobiology, 2017, vol. 17, nos. 6–7, pp. 585–594.
Mitrofanov, I., Malakhov, A., Bakhtin, B., Golovin, D., Kozyrev, A., Litvak, M., Mokrousov, M., Sanin, A., Tretyakov, V., Vostrukhin, A., Anikin, A., Zelenyi, L.M., Semkova, J., Malchev, S., Tomov, B., et al., Fine Resolution Epithermal Neutron Detector (FREND) onboard the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, Space Sci. Rev., 2018, vol. 2 14, no. 5, art. ID 86.
Parsons, A., Bodnarik, J., Evans, L., Floyd, S., Lim, L., McClanahan, T., Namkung, M., Nowicki, S., Schweitzer, J., Starr, R., and Trombka, J., Active neutron and gamma-ray instrumentation for in situ planetary science applications, Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res.,Sect. A, 2011, vol. 652, pp. 674–679.
Prettyman, T.H., Hagerty, J.J., Elphic, R.C., Feldman, W.C., Lawrence, D.J., McKinney, G.W., and Vaniman, D.T., Elemental composition of the lunar surface: analysis of gamma ray spectroscopy data from Lunar Prospector, J. Geophys. Res.: Planets, 2006, vol. 111, no. E12.
Prettyman, T.H., Feldman, W.C., McSween, H.Y., Dingler, R.D., Enemark, D.C., Patrick, D.E., Storms, S.A., Hendricks, J.S., Morgenthaler, J.P., Pitman, K.M., and Reedy, R.C., Dawn’s gamma-ray and neutron detector, Space Sci. Rev., 2011, vol. 163, nos. 1–4, pp. 371–459.
Prettyman, T.H., Mittlefehldt, D.W., Yamashita, N., Lawrence, D.J., Beck, A.W., Feldman, W.C., McCoy, T.J., McSween, H.Y., Toplis, M.J., Titus, T.N., Tricarico, P., Reedy, R.C., Hendricks, J.S., Forni, O., Le Corre, L., et al., Elemental mapping by Dawn reveals exogenic H in Vesta’s regolith, Science, 2012, vol. 338, no. 6104, pp. 242–246.
Surkov, Yu.A., Kirnozov, F.F., Glazov, V.N., Dunchenko, A.G., Tatsy, L.P., and Sobornov, O.P., Uranium, thorium, and potassium in the Venusian rocks at the landing sites of VEGA 1 and 2, J. Geophys. Res.: Solid Earth, 1987, vol. 92, no. 4, pp. E537–E540.
Vago, J.L., Westall, F., Coates, A.J., Jaumann, R., Korablev, O., Ciarletti, V., Mitrofanov, I., Josset, J.-L., De Sanctis, M.C., Bibring, J.-P., Rull, F., Goesmann, F., Steininger, H., Goetz, W., Brinckerhoff, W., et al., Habitability on early Mars and the search for biosignatures with the ExoMars Rover, Astrobiology, 2017, vol. 17, nos. 6–7, pp. 471–510.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Translated by M. Chubarova
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Litvak, M.L., Golovin, D.V., Djachkova, M.V. et al. Gamma and Neutron Spectrometers Designed for Installation Onboard the Lunar Rover. Sol Syst Res 54, 275–287 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0038094620040073
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0038094620040073