Synapse
⌘+K
Synapse
PulseExploreClubsResearchersJournals
Instagram
HomeClubsExplore
September 30, 2025Geophysical Research Letters

Discovery of a Lunar Cold Spot at Apollo 16's South Ray Crater

View Full Paper
Ask AI
Bookmark
Share

Authors

TPTyler PowellJohns Hopkins University Applied Physics LaboratoryJWJ. P. WilliamsPlanetary Science InstituteBGB. T. GreenhagenJohns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

Discussion

Loading...

Member takes

Overview

Analysis uncovers a cold spot near South Ray crater from Apollo 16, suggesting regolith changes and temperature effects.

Key Points

  • The discovery reveals that the cold spot at South Ray crater is the oldest known cold spot on the Moon.
  • Temperature maps show a significant reduction in nighttime temperatures around South Ray crater, indicating colder regions.
  • Astronaut footprint analysis indicates lower density in the regolith at Apollo 16 compared to other Apollo locations, supporting findings.
  • This study highlights the relationship between cold spots and regolith decompaction, with implications for lunar temperature modeling.

Cite This Study

Powell et al. (2025) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/68dc1e358a7d58c25ebb18b2https://doi.org/10.1029/2025gl116606
View Full Paper
Ask AI
Bookmark
Share

Also Consider

Synapse has enriched 4 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context:

  1. 1A new method to determine the grain size of planetary regolith2012 · 242 citations
  2. 2Lunar equatorial surface temperatures and regolith properties from the Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment2012 · 353 citations
  3. 3Thermal conductivity of particulate basalt as a function of density in simulated lunar and Martian environments1970 · 162 citations
  4. 4Lunar surface rock abundance and regolith fines temperatures derived from LRO Diviner Radiometer data2011 · 363 citations