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Smith, B. F.

Publications and source records attributed to Smith, B. F..

42 records · Page 3

The induced magnetic field of the moon - Conductivity profiles and inferred temperature.

Electromagnetic induction in the moon driven by fluctuations of the interplanetary magnetic field is used to determine the lunar bulk electrical conductivity. The earlier data are now augmented by an order of magnitude. The present data clearly show the north-south and east-west transfer function difference as well as the high-frequency rollover suggested earlier. The difference is shown to be compatible over the midfrequency range (0.001 to 0.01 Hz) with a noise source associated with the compression of the local remanent field by solar wind dynamic pressure fluctuations. The rollover of the transfer functions is shown to result from higher order magnetic multipole radiation; electric multipoles appear supressed, although a vestigial TM interaction may still be present. Models for two, three, and four layer; current layer, double current layer, and core plus current layer moons are generated by inversion of the data, using a theory that incorporates higher-order multipoles.

Sonett, C. P.↗

Lunar electrical conductivity profile

Lunar electrical conductivity profile measurements, providing mantle-core stratification near surface thermal gradient, heat flux and composition data

Colburn, D. S.↗

Induced and permanent magnetism on the moon - Structural and evolutionary implications.

It is shown that the moon possesses an extraordinary response to induction from the solar wind due to a combination of a high interior electrical conductivity together with a relatively resistive crustal layer into which the solar wind dynamic pressure forces back the induced field. The dark side response, devoid of solar wind pressure, is approximately that expected for the vacuum case. These data permit an assessment of the interior conductivity and an estimate of the thermal gradient in the crustal region. The discovery of a large permanent magnetic field at the Apollo 12 site corresponds approximately to the paleomagnetic residues discovered in both Apollo 11 and 12 rock samples. The implications regarding an early lunar magnetic field are discussed and it is shown that among the various conjectures regarding the early field the most prominent are either an interior dynamo or an early approach to the earth though no extant model is free of difficulties.

Sonett, C. P.↗