Global spherical harmonic models of the internal magnetic field of the Moon based on sequential and coestimation approaches

• Published in: Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets Vol. 115; no. E12
• Main Authors: Purucker, Michael E., Nicholas, Joseph B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.12.2010; American Geophysical Union
• Subjects: Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; impacts; magnetic field; magnetization; Moon; wavelength; altitude; models; magnetic field; magnetometers; magnetization; maps; Moon; surveys; global; cartography; Modeling; Internal magnetic fields; crust; solar wind; amplitude; lunar crust; correlation; Spherical harmonic; Wave number
• ISSN: 0148-0227; 2156-2202
• DOI: 10.1029/2010JE003650

Three new models of the global internal magnetic field of the Moon based on Lunar Prospector (LP) fluxgate magnetometer observations are developed for use in understanding the origin of the Moon's crustal magnetic field and for modeling its interaction with the solar wind. The models are at spherical harmonic degree 170, corresponding to 64 km wavelength resolution, from 30 km mean altitude LP observations. Coverage is complete except for a few areas near each pole. Original signal amplitudes are best preserved in the sequential approach map, whereas feature recognition is superior in the coestimation and harmonic wave number correlation maps. Spherical harmonic degrees less than 15, corresponding to 666 km wavelength, are largely absent from the Moon's internal magnetic field. We interpret this bound in terms of the Moon's impact history. A derived magnetization map suggests magnetizations may locally exceed 0.2 A/m in the lunar crust at the survey resolution if the magnetic crust is as thick as 40 km.