The Geological Techniques Unit participates in the geochemical and mineralogical analyzes of basaltic rocks that simulate the lunar surface.
The Geological Techniques Unit has participated in the analysis of volcanic rocks from Lanzarote Island with which a research team from the Complutense University of Madrid and the Institute of Geosciences (CSIC-UCM) simulates the lunar surface. This simulation will be used for different purposes, including contributing to lunar habitability and astronaut survival.
For mineralogical and geochemical characterization, we perform the techniques of X-ray diffraction (Bruker D8 Advance diffractometer), X-ray Fluorescence (Bruker S2 Ranger spectrometer), Scanning Electron Microscopy Energy Dispersive X-ray (JEOL JSM-820), Electron Probe Microanalysis (JEOL Superprobe JXA-8900 M) and Mass Spectrometry with Inductively Coupled Plasma (Mass Spectrometer, with ICP ionization source, Bruker Aurora Elite).
Ref: Alberquilla, F., Martínez-Frías, J., García-Baonza, V. & Lunar, R. “LZS-1, Lanzarote (Canary Island, Spain) lunar (Apollo 14) basaltic soil simulant”. Sci Rep 12, 16470 (2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20960-8.
