Moon: Electrical Properties of the Uppermost Layers

Abstract

Presently available data on the electrical conductivity of the uppermost lunar surface layers are in accord with the presence of dry, powdered rocks in which the dielectric loss tangent is frequency-independent over several decades of frequency. These powders have typical direct-current conductivity values of about 10^-13 to 10^-16 mhos per meter and dielectric constants of about 3.0, depending on the packing. Thus the surface layers of the moon are likely to have an extremely low electrical conductivity. At high frequencies normal dielectric losses lead to much higher apparent conductivities that are frequency-dependent.