Summary
Cosmic rays are charged particles and atomic nuclei that are created and accelerated primarily by exploding stars throughout our galaxy. Propagating through the interstellar medium and the heliosphere, they assume the characteristic energy spectra that can be observed by space-borne instruments at Earth. Despite the Moon’s lack of an atmosphere and a magnetic field, cosmic rays undergo a series of interactions with the lunar surface that substantially alter the interplanetary radiation field. Most important is the creation of secondary radiation, for example, neutrons, whose spectra contain information about the composition of the lunar surface. Even though cosmic rays and their secondaries have been observed by instruments in orbit around the Moon and on the lunar surface, more detailed investigations are required to fully understand their interaction processes and their implications for future crewed and uncrewed missions to the lunar surface.
Introduction
Cosmic rays are not...
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Losekamm, M.J., Burmeister, S. (2023). Cosmic Rays in the Lunar Environment. In: Cudnik, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Lunar Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-14541-9_176
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