The Weather on the Moon and the Mystery of the Swirls

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.

Intro
Presentation Outline
What is the Moon made of?
Origin of mare names
Reflectance Spectroscopy
The Spectra of Rocks
Spectroscopy for chemistry
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.
Impact craters expose underlying material
How I map mare basalts using "fresh crater probes"
Front side of Moon mapped
What are Lunar Squirrels?
What are Lunar Swirls?
Associated with magnetic anomalies The Moon does not have a global magnetic field
Impart no topography
Are bright & optically immature
Hypotheses for swirl formation
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
Distribution of fresh craters
Comparing on-swirl and off-swirl spectra
Compositions from fresh craters
Iron and ilmenite: Light suckers
The swirls stay dry
Summary & Conclusions