{"title":"Velocity Measurements of Powdered Rock at Low Confining Pressures and Comparison to Lunar Shallow Seismic Velocity","authors":"C. C. Amos, M. Prasad, K. M. Cannon, C. B. Dreyer","doi":"10.1029/2024JE008287","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>Seismic methods will be useful for future lunar near-surface characterization, and high-fidelity elastic models will be required to aid interpretation of seismic observations. To develop an elastic lunar near-surface model, we performed ultrasonic velocity measurements of lunar regolith simulant at low confining pressure and developed a rock physics model calibrated to these measurements. Grain contact models based on Hertz-Mindlin theory produce accurate results at high confining pressure (i.e., several hundred meters or more burial depth) but historically fail to predict observed velocities in unconsolidated media at low pressure. Therefore, we heuristically modified existing models to fit our measured data over a range of porosities and confining pressures. To compare with Apollo 14 and 16 active seismic experiments, we used our new heuristic rock physics model to produce lunar subsurface velocity profiles. We performed ray tracing through our velocity profiles to calculate seismic traveltime, which results in good agreement with first arrivals interpreted from the Apollo experiments. Our model suggests a slightly higher velocity-pressure dependence than inferred from in situ measurements, which may be due to porosity reduction in the lunar regolith from impact-induced and natural vibrations.</p>","PeriodicalId":16101,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.9000,"publicationDate":"2024-05-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1029/2024JE008287","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets","FirstCategoryId":"89","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2024JE008287","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"GEOCHEMISTRY & GEOPHYSICS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Seismic methods will be useful for future lunar near-surface characterization, and high-fidelity elastic models will be required to aid interpretation of seismic observations. To develop an elastic lunar near-surface model, we performed ultrasonic velocity measurements of lunar regolith simulant at low confining pressure and developed a rock physics model calibrated to these measurements. Grain contact models based on Hertz-Mindlin theory produce accurate results at high confining pressure (i.e., several hundred meters or more burial depth) but historically fail to predict observed velocities in unconsolidated media at low pressure. Therefore, we heuristically modified existing models to fit our measured data over a range of porosities and confining pressures. To compare with Apollo 14 and 16 active seismic experiments, we used our new heuristic rock physics model to produce lunar subsurface velocity profiles. We performed ray tracing through our velocity profiles to calculate seismic traveltime, which results in good agreement with first arrivals interpreted from the Apollo experiments. Our model suggests a slightly higher velocity-pressure dependence than inferred from in situ measurements, which may be due to porosity reduction in the lunar regolith from impact-induced and natural vibrations.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Geophysical Research Planets is dedicated to the publication of new and original research in the broad field of planetary science. Manuscripts concerning planetary geology, geophysics, geochemistry, atmospheres, and dynamics are appropriate for the journal when they increase knowledge about the processes that affect Solar System objects. Manuscripts concerning other planetary systems, exoplanets or Earth are welcome when presented in a comparative planetology perspective. Studies in the field of astrobiology will be considered when they have immediate consequences for the interpretation of planetary data. JGR: Planets does not publish manuscripts that deal with future missions and instrumentation, nor those that are primarily of an engineering interest. Instrument, calibration or data processing papers may be appropriate for the journal, but only when accompanied by scientific analysis and interpretation that increases understanding of the studied object. A manuscript that describes a new method or technique would be acceptable for JGR: Planets if it contained new and relevant scientific results obtained using the method. Review articles are generally not appropriate for JGR: Planets, but they may be considered if they form an integral part of a special issue.