1. Stephen Ibanez GISc 351 Spring 2014
Lunar outpost suitability: Analysis of Sinus Iridum by Slope and elemental abundance
Stephen Ibanez GISc 351 Spring 2014
2/22/2019

2. [1] http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/163896main_LAT_GES_1204.pdf
Introduction
Lunar outpost was an element of the G.W.Bush space policy, now since adapted by Barack Obama’s policy. Influenced by the recent CNSA Yutu rover, lunar outpost will be chosen within the Sinus Iridum and the basis of placement is proximity to mineral deposits, with which the Maria and surrounding mountains are rife.
[1] NASA Lunar Outpost Proposal
2/22/2019
[1]

3. Influences
Rudimentary exercises create templates for further analysis, what were once sketches can birth greater possibilities and possibly eventually yield tangible results.
[2] NASA Apollo 17 Twilight Ray Sketch
2/22/2019
[2]

4. Lunar Outpost placement
Multiple Placements
Multiple influences
USSR LUNA landings
NASA Apollo Missions
CNSA Yutu Chang’e 3′s Rover
Too many choices
Polar flats
Maria (sea)
Pictured Near side of the moon.
[3] LROC_WAC; Nearside Arizona State Univeristy
2/22/2019
[3]

5. Abstract
Suitability analysis for lunar outpost using LOLA DEM and Lunar Prospector mineral spectrometry, with regard to lunar slope, proximity to mining deposits, density of deposit. A single location will be used as the study subject, Sinus Iridum. A composite of the suitability overlays, weighted overlays, will denote the shared cells between the weighted overlays. This will ultimately yield the desirable zones with which the lunar outpost can be contained, constructed and operated.
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6. Outpost viability
Assuming the outpost must be multipurpose, the primary purpose of these outposts is scientific, though they must possess a secondary purpose.
This is could be polar mining, polar frozen water mining, regolith collection, precious element mining, radioactive element mining.
We are going to assume this outpost will be used for the study and survey of radioactive elements within the region.
[4] Lunar Outpost in Sinus Iridum, Google Sketchup models overlayed in Google Earth
[4] User created, overlaid in Google Earth with Google Sketchup, using User “LostRed33” Lunar Base Model
2/22/2019

7. Sinus iridum “bay of Rainbows”
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8. Sinus iridum (44.1° N, 31.5° W)
Sinus Iridum ("Bay of Rainbows") is a plain of basaltic lava that forms a northwestern extension to the Mare Imbrium. It is surrounded from the northeast to the southwest by the Montes Jura range.
Sinus Iridum is formed from the remains of a large impact crater, which was subsequently flooded with basaltic lava, inundating the "sea" wall. The surface is level, but is marked by a number of wrinkle ridges.
The selenographic coordinates of this bay are 44.1° N, 31.5° W. [5]
The feature was given the Latin name for the Bay of Rainbows by Giovanni Riccioli.
2/22/2019
[5] "Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature - Sinus Iridum". USGS. International Astronomical Union (IAU)

9. Methods: Components Elemental Abundance Lunar Prospector
Abundance in PPM (Parts Per Million)
Hydrogen (PPM by Weight)
Thorium (PPM by Weight)
Uranium (PPM)
Suitable Terrain For Outpost
Slope
Derived from DEM basemap (LDEM.JP2)
Values measured in degree, inclination of slope in degrees.
[6] LRO/LOLA derived imagery
(Left to Right) Topo , Slope, Roughness
2/22/2019
[6]

10. Data used & gCs DEM & Basemap Elemental Abundance
NASA LOLA (Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter) on the Lunar Recon Orbiter
LDEM_128.jp2
Elemental Abundance
NASA LCROSS – Lunar Prospector
lp_u_hd.asc
lp_th_hd.asc
lp_h_hd.asc
Geographic Coordinate System
Moon_2000
[7] Artist Rendering of Lunar Prospector
2/22/2019
[7]

11. Methods: SLOPE Derived slope from LDEM_128.JP2
DEM is measured in Meter (1.0)!
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12. Methods: Lunar prospecting Elemental Abundance
Lunar Prospector (2002) Data
Larger figures denote higher concentration of minerals, negative values denote total absence and disparity.
Hydrogen PPM by Weight
Uranium PPM
Thorium PPM by Weight
Example: 10 rows from formatted data, of 1790 binned values
LAT_MIN
LAT_MAX
LON_MIN
LON_MAX
PPM_URANIUM
-90.00
-87.50
180.00
0.18
-82.50
0.14
0.25
-45.00
0.15
0.00
45.00
0.16
90.00
0.12
135.00
0.17
0.24
-77.50
0.35
0.27
-84.00
-60.00
0.09
-36.00
-12.00
0.22
12.00
0.07
36.00
0.03
60.00
0.11
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13. Methods: model builder
LunarModel10
Constructed in Model Builder.
Relies on these tools
IDW
Reclassify
Slope
Make XY Event Layer
Weighted Overlay
Majority Filter
Conditional Evaluation
Raster to Polygon
Calculate Area
Clip
Cell Statistics
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14. 2.) Aggregate Process 1 and Process 2
1.) a) Process 1
LunarModel10
2.) Aggregate Process 1 and Process 2
3.) Final Zone - Polygon
- Statistics
1.) b) Process 2
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15. ANALYSIS 3 Step Process 1.)Deriving Values
Suitable Zone 1
Interpolation
Majority Filter 1
Conditional = 2
Highest value is more suitable
Process 2
Suitable Zone 2
Euclidean Distance
Majority Filter 2
Conditional = 1
Lowest value is more suitable
2.) Aggregating Process 1 and Process 2
Cell Statistics
Majority Filter
Conditional = 2
EIGHT, MAJORITY
3.) Final Suitable Zone
Raster To Polygon
To be able to calculate area
Calculate Areas
Project
Decimal Degrees to Meters (1.00)
Manually convert Shape_Area from m2 to km2
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16. Process 1 Model builder
Make XY Event layer, IDW 40 points and , Reclassify, Weighted Overlay, Slope. Reclass: higher value more suitable!
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17. Lunar prospecting: IDW HYDROGEN Process 1
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18. Lunar prospecting: RECLASSED IDW HYDROGEN Process 1
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19. Lunar prospecting: IDW THORIUM Process 1
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20. Lunar prospecting: RECLASSED IDW THORIUM Process 1
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21. Lunar prospecting: IDW uRANIUM Process 1
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22. Lunar prospecting: RECLASSED IDW URANIUM Process 1
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23. Slope Process 1
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24. Suitability analysis (1) Process 1
Weighted Overlay
Produces raster overlay that depicts viable area for outpost.
Weights
OBJECTID*
VALUE
COUNT 1 2
837 3
423
RASTER
INFLUENCE(%)
Slope 60
Hydrogen 20
Thorium
Uranium
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25. Suitability analysis (1) Process 1
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26. Suitability analysis (1) Process 1
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27. SUITABILITY ANALYSIS (2) Process 1
Weighted Overlay
Produces raster overlay that depicts viable area for outpost.
Weights
OBJECTID*
VALUE
COUNT 1
837 2
423
RASTER
INFLUENCE(%)
Slope 70
Hydrogen 10
Thorium
Uranium
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28. SUITABILITY ANALYSIS (2) Process 1
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29. SUITABILITY COMPARISON Process 1
Vs. 2
RASTER
INFLUENCE(%)
Slope 70
Hydrogen 10
Thorium
Uranium
RASTER
INFLUENCE(%)
Slope 60
Hydrogen 20
Thorium
Uranium
= Identical Visual Result
2/22/2019

30. Suitability analysis (3) Process 1
Weighted Overlay
Produces raster overlay that depicts viable area for outpost.
Weights
OBJECTID*
VALUE
COUNT 1
837 2
423
RASTER
INFLUENCE(%)
Slope 10
Hydrogen 30
Thorium
Uranium
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31. Suitability analysis (3) Process 1
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32. Suitable zones Process 1
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33. Process 2 model builder Using some layers from Process 1.
Lower values are more suitable!
Point To Raster, using XY Event Layer output as input.
Clipping by study area extent.
Reclassify slope and inverse the values to reflect the flipped preference scale, 1 being most desirable.
Reclassify elemental layers to [1,2, NoData]
Weighted Overlay 60% slope, 20% Uranium, 20% Thorium, 20% Hydrogen
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34. Slope Process 2
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35. Reclassify Process 2
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36. Suitable zones process 2
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37. Step 2 Model Builder Conditional Evaluation of both suitability zones
Process 1 & Process 2.
Value = 1 or Value = 2, depending on preference scale.
Majority filter
Modifying Process 1 & 2 suitability zones
EIGHT, Majority
Clip by most overlapping cells.
Using count, selecting values and confirming.
Reclassify
Process 1, inverse values to reflect Process 2
Cell Statistic
Aggregate of Process 1 and Process 2
Overlay Stat is SUM
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38. Cell Statistic and majority filter step 2
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39. Step 3 Model builder
Conditional evaluation of the aggregate/composite suitability zone.
Value = 2
Majority Filter
Raster to polygon
Simplified Polygon
Calculate Areas
Derive polygon total area, in Decimal Degree
Project
Converts Decimal Degrees into Meters (1). Verify with measure tool. Shape_Area will now be measured in square meter, m2
Convert SHAPE_AREA value from m2 to km2
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40. Penultimate final product: Final zone Step 3
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41. Ultimate Final product: Simplified Polygon Step 3
Verify Shape_Length with measure tool
Convert Shape_Area to km2 .
Manual Calculation
(m2) / =
156,747 km2 = Total Polygon Area
2/22/2019

42. conclusion
The model builder, sum of all parts, yields a combined suitability zone within the study area.
The Suitability Polygon, aggregate of process 1 and process 2, features a Total Area of 156,747 km2.
Further analysis, of slope and elemental abundance, within the study area could refine and establish more intricate suitability zones. Zones that reflect immediate micro-elements like regoliths.
Since the lunar outpost was not a defined size, if given a prospective site area to find best fit, further analysis of layers could define a best fit by prospective sites total area.
The projects goals are met, though wholly rudimentary, such work could be a template for more in-depth analyses; including factors such as temperature variance, sunlight exposure.
2/22/2019

43. REFERENCES FTP servers, downloads, proposal, 3d GIS web-app
LOLA/LRORS PDS Data Node
USGS Planetary GIS Web Server – PIGWAD
NASA Lunar Outpost Proposal
JAXA 3D JAVA application using Kaguya raster mosaic.
Lunar Orbital Data Explorer – PDS Geosciences Node
LROC Catalog Arizona State University
2/22/2019