Lunar Structure, Composition and Processes for Exploration

The LunaSCOPE project is a $7.5 million initiative led by Brown University scientists and funded by NASA's Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI), which brings together experts from institutions across the U.S. and abroad to investigate the Moon's origin, evolution, and its relationship with Earth.

As one of the co-leads of the volatile subsection research, Assistant Professor James W. Dottin III is using Apollo samples from NASA's Johnson Space Center to study the isotopic compositions of sulfur, carbon, and other elements to explore the history of volcanism on the Moon  and to constrain the composition of the Moon’s subsurface. He is also investigating how the Moon's history reflects early Earth conditions, shedding light on planetary formation, evolution, and events that could lead to habitability.

The LunaSCOPE team uses abundance and isotopic compositions of elements spanning nearly the entire periodic table, computational modeling, and other research to address  age-old questions: Where did the Moon come from? Are there resources we could use for long-term exploration? What does its history reveal about our own planet and the Solar System at large? By engaging the public in these explorations, LunaSCOPE inspires global interest in space science and exploration.

As NASA renews its focus on lunar exploration, LunaSCOPE is poised to play a critical role in shaping the next era of planetary research.

Banner image produced by Lynced Torres, KVA Kennedy & Violich Architecture, Ltd. for the renovated Lincoln Field Building (2022).