Moon LRO LROC NAC Boulder Database v1 Watkins

Primary Authors

Ryan Watkins

Originators

USGS Astrogeology Science Center

Publisher

USGS Astrogeology Science Center

Publication Date

2019-09-09

Abstract

The Lunar Boulder Database contains boulder distributions around small (< 1 km), young (< 200 Ma) lunar impact craters located near spacecraft landing sites. Boulders were manually identified and measured on images from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) with the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Narrow Angle Camera (NAC; Robinson et al., 2010) at scales of ~0.5-2 m/pixel. LROC NAC images allow for boulders ~1-2m in size and larger to be identified and measured.

These boulder distributions are being used to understand boulder degradation rates on the lunar surface, and to assess landing site hazards for future surface missions to the Moon. This dataset is being archived in the Planetary Data System (PDS) for use in future boulder distribution and landing hazard studies. Future boulder counts and any refinements to existing measurements will be uploaded into subsequent versions of this dataset.

This archive uses PDS4 archiving standards. An overview of PDS4 is provided in the PDS4 Concepts document (2018) and the standards are specified in the PDS4 Standards Reference (2018). References: Anderson, J. A., Sides, S. C., Soltesz, D. L., Sucharski, T. L., & Becker, K. J. (2004). Modernization of the Integrated Software for Imagers and Spectrometers. Paper presented at the 35th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, TX. https://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2004/pdf/2039.pdf Kneissl, T., van Gasselt, S., & Neukum, G. (2011). Map-projection-independent crater size-frequency determination in GIS environments—New software tool for ArcGIS. Planetary and Space Science, 59(11), 1243–1254. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pss.2010.03.015 Nava, R. (2011). Crater Helper Tools for ArcGis 10.0 Reference Manual. ftp://pdsimage2.wr.usgs.gov/pub/pigpen/ArcMap_addons/Crater%20Helper%20Tools%20for%20ArcGIS%2010%20-%20Reference%20Manual_062811.pdf Robinson, M. S., Brylow, S. M., Humm, D., Lawrence, S. J., Thomas, P. C., Denevi, B. W., Bowman-Cisneros, E., et al. (2010). Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Instrument Overview. Space Science Review, 150(1), 81–124. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-010-9634-2 Watkins, R. N., Jolliff, B. L., Fogerty, C., Mistick, K., Singer, K. N., & Lawrence, S. J. (2018). Boulder Distributions Around Young, Small Lunar Impact Craters. Paper presented at the 49th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, TX. https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2018/pdf/1201.pdf Watkins, R. N., Jolliff, B. L., Lawrence, S. J., Hayne, P. O., & Ghent, R. R. (2017). Boulder Distributions at Legacy Landing Sites: Assessing Regolith Production Rates and Landing Site Hazards. Paper presented at the 48th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, TX. https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2017/pdf/1245.pdf Watkins, R. N., Mistick, K., Jolliff, B. L., & Lawrence, S. J. (2018). Boulder Distributions Around Young Lunar Impact Craters: Case Study of South Ray Crater. Paper presented at the 49th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Houston, TX. https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2018/pdf/1146.pdf

Purpose

Created as part of a project funded by NASA’S Lunar Data Analysis Program (LDAP), the purpose of this dataset is to provide locations and diameters of boulders around small, young impact craters on the Moon. These boulder counts were conducted as part of a study aimed at determining regolith production rates and assessing landing site hazards, as discussed in the associated publications. Researchers are encouraged to read the publications and data description document to understand how the data was acquired and used.

Contact and Distribution

Format

Tabular Data

Access Scope

PDS

Native Data Set Environment

Astrogeology Theme

Impact Crater, Regolith

Mission Names

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

Instrument Names

LROC

Online Package Link

https://astrogeology.usgs.gov/search/map/moon_lro_lroc_nac_boulder_database_v1_watkins

External File Size

185154475

Online File Link

http://astropedia.astrogeology.usgs.gov/download/Moon/Research/Regolith/lunar_boulder_data_bundle

Access Instructions

CSV file reader

Contact Address

2255 N. Gemini Drive

Contact City

Flagstaff

Contact State

AZ

Contact Postal Code

86001

Contact Email

astroweb@usgs.gov

Source Online Linkage

https://pdsimage2.wr.usgs.gov/Individual_Investigations/moon_lro_lroc_boulderdata_watkins_2018/

Source PDS Archive

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

PDS Status

PDS 4 In Review

Geospatial Information

Target

Moon

System

Earth

Object Type

Grid Cell

Quad Name

Horizontal Coordinate System Units

Degrees