Paper 13093-279
Moon Moisture Targeting Observatory (MoMoTarO) for water resource exploration and basic science application
On demand | Presented live 19 June 2024
Abstract
We are developing the Moon Moisture Targeting Observatory (MoMoTarO), a radiation monitor of neutrons and gamma rays to search for water resources on the Moon. As fast neutrons travel through the lunar soil, they are scattered by light elements such as hydrogen in water, losing their energy, and becoming thermal and epi-thermal neutrons. The non-contact water exploration without excavation can be realized by measuring the difference in the number of thermal or epi-thermal neutrons depending on water content. The MoMoTarO project can also aim at fundamental scientific studies such as gamma-ray burst observations and the neutron lifetime mystery. We are now constructing an engineering model and demonstrating the performance of the MoMoTarO detector.
Presenter
Naoki Tsuji
Kyoto Univ. (Japan)
He is developing an radiation instrument for neutrons and gamma ray, Moon Moisture Targeting Observatory (MoMoTarO), for the water resource exploration and basic science application on the Moon.