At Compton-Belkovitch, the heat flux reaches 180 milliwatts per square meter, or about 20 times the average height on the far side of the moon. This scale corresponds to temperatures less than 10 degrees Fahrenheit about six feet below the surface, or about 90 degrees warmer than anywhere else.
“It stands out, because it’s hot compared to other places on the moon,” said Dr. Siegler.
To produce this much heat and gamma thorium, Dr. Siegler, Dr. Feng, and other researchers concluded that granite, which contains radioactive elements such as thorium, is the most likely source and must be abundant.
“It seems to specifically identify what material is under it,” says Dr. Lawrence, who was a reviewer on the Nature article.
“This is kind of the tip of the iceberg,” he said of the original gamma-ray emission. “What you see at Compton-Belkovich is a kind of superficial expression of something much bigger underneath.”
2023-07-12 23:23:47
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