Mapping of Surface and Subsurface Cold Traps for Ice and Supervolatiles

NASA Lunar Data Analysis Program

Start Date: 08/01/2022
Project #: 1884
End Date: 07/31/2025
Award #: 80NSSC22K1339

Non PSI Personnel: Jean-Pierre Williams (UCLA)

Project Description

The abundance and distribution of water ice in the lunar polar regions is a science and exploration priority. In this project, we propose to use Diviner surface temperature data to delineate ice sequestration mechanisms, cold traps of supervolatiles, and limits to lunar spelaean ice.

1) Maps for ice sequestration mechanisms in the north polar region: Water ice might be sequestered due to cold trapping, burial, or thermal pumping. Recently developed methods that were used to produce maps of these ice sequestration mechanisms for the south polar region will be applied to the north polar region.
2) Supervolatiles: Time-dependent surface temperatures, including their seasonal variations, will be used to produce accurate maps of supervolatiles in both polar regions. The vapor pressures and phase diagrams of volatile species will be reviewed.
3) Lunar ice caves: Lunar caves might contain ice. We will use temperature data to determine geographic limits to the potential occurrence of spelaean ice on the Moon.

Methodology: Diviner bolometric temperatures over nearly 12 years will be processed and sorted into diurnal and seasonal bins for equal time coverage. To reliably extrapolate sublimation rates of supervolatiles, a literature review of vapor pressures will be conducted. Numerical models will be used to estimate subsurface temperatures using the Diviner surface temperatures as input.