A controlled mosaic of Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) reflectance data in the lunar polar regions for understanding the mineralogy and water of the Artemis exploration zone

Abstract

This study presents high-resolution (140 m/pixel) controlled mosaics of Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M³) data in the lunar polar regions (80°–90° N/S), with a focus on assessing mineralogy and water content across the Artemis exploration zone. M³ extensively sampled the lunar polar regions, providing a high spatial resolution, hyperspectral imaging dataset that uniquely covers reflectance absorptions of major minerals and water on the lunar surface. We developed a methodology to preferentially use M³ image cubes acquired when the star tracker was operational to ensure accurate spatial registration of M³ pixels in our new mosaics. Integrated band depth (IBD) analyses were conducted to map distributions of hematite and other mineral species at the Artemis exploration zone. We also derived water contents at the Artemis sites from our new M³ mosaics. Our findings indicate that the Artemis exploration zone is largely dominated by mature regolith that is probably rich in plagioclase. Hematite is predominantly concentrated on east-facing slopes, likely due to enhanced oxidation from Earth wind oxygen interacting with the lunar regolith. Pyroxene-rich exposures are observed in three Artemis candidate landing regions and they are all associated with fresh impact craters. The water distribution is highly variable, with higher concentrations on pole-facing slopes and near permanently shadowed regions, likely controlled by low surface temperatures. High water contents are observed at hematite exposures, which reinforces that water may play a crucial role in hematite formation on the Moon. These results provide valuable insights for future lunar exploration, aiding in the selection of landing sites, planning of traverse routes, and informing in situ resource utilization (ISRU) for the Artemis missions.