Brad Guth wrote:
tomcat,
I'm not a geologist expert, but there's certainly loads of nifty
information available that has been telling us about all sorts of
highly reflective albedo substances, that which somewhat recent and/or
possibly active craters as possible vents have seemingly exposed such
highly reflective substances that exceed an albedo of 50%. Otherwise
most everything is covered in a rather nasty composite of carbon/soot
like graphite plus a dark powder substance of titanium and good old
iron (since the electrical insulation factor is so freaking good, it'll
have been electrostatically charged like none other).

I can't imagine there not being salty brines sequestered within
substantial geode pockets or hallow rilles, and of the solar IR as
having been roasting within such a near vacuum as having easily
extracted such elements to the surface.

Rock salts or that of dirty mineral salt deposits should stay
relatively put, even with a 2400 km/s passing solar wind, although the
lower density of the carbon/soot likes of graphite might not.

Of one surface element or composite of elements that looks exactly like
a 50/50 blend of portland cement and cornmeal (medium/light gray of
55+% albedo for as fare as the unfiltered Kodak eye could see) is
actually not all that likely, much less offered in such a thin but
otherwise nicely clumping layer that wasn't the least be electrostatic.

At best, we're talking about an extremely dusty surface environment
that's not only relatively coal like dark and nasty but, that's
unlikely to support 5 g/cm2 unless you're walking on sufficient
bedrock, and I certainly wouldn't be all that surprised at seeing a
surface tension of moon-dust (AKA dry quicksand) that's worth less than
0.5g/cm2.
-
Brad Guth



The Moon appears silvery gray. It is composed primarily of titanium
and aluminum which accounts for the general appearance. Closeup,
however, it may not be so homogenous. This could account for bright
blotches of ice or salt or, possibly, some other substance.

Likewise, when it comes to dust depth. In some places it may be powder
that is 20 feet deep while in others it may be loose gray soil half a
foot or so above bedrock.

Our best approach to a Moon landing is to select a spot close to the
South Pole ice, be prepared for powder dust, and do some exploring to
find out what the blotches are.

But we need to go to the Moon, this time, with plenty of equipment to
really get the job done. NASA is planning on one week on the Moon.
This should be expanded to 6 months of exploration. The Moon Base
should be set up with the first mission with much of the Base
underground. This can be accomplished by digging into the side of a
rill.



tomcat