| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2021 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Characterization of Minerals, Metals and Materials 2021
|
| Presentation Title |
A Lightweight Mossbauer Spectrometer for Lunar Exploration Using a Piezoelectric Doppler Drive |
| Author(s) |
Pedro Guzman, Stefan Lohaus, Valerie Scott, Brent Fultz |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Pedro Guzman |
| Abstract Scope |
An advanced group of lightweight NASA rovers, named Pop-Up Flat Folding Explorer Robot (PUFFER), are expected to be launched on new missions for studies of the Moon. This provides a demand for miniature instruments to collect information about the lunar surface, where the temperature ranges from 40K to 400K. Due to the abundance of iron in our solar system, an ultraminiature lightweight Mossbauer spectrometer is an ideal instrument for investigating the lunar surface, since Mossbauer spectrometry is an established method for studying iron-containing minerals. We are developing a lightweight and compact piezoelectric actuator as a mechanical Doppler drive for tuning the γ-ray radiation, required to excite the 57Fe nuclei present in iron containing samples. Our new instrument successfully obtained Mossbauer spectra with open-loop operation of the piezoelectric drive. Some spectral distortions may be overcome with the closed-loop system under development now. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |