Planetary Simulant Database
Free Resource for Regolith Simulant Information
Mineralogy
No data available
Bulk Chemistry
| Oxide | Wt.% |
|---|---|
| SiO2 | 68.24 |
| TiO2 | 0.06 |
| Al2O3 | 1.40 |
| FeO2O3 | 0.13 |
| MgO | 5.21 |
| CaO | 9.06 |
| MnO | 0.01 |
| Na2O | 13.4 |
| K2O | 1.07 |
| P2O5 | 0.33 |
| SO3 | 0.08 |
| Total | 98.99 |
Physical Properties
An extensive description of physical properties is given in Just, G. H. et al. (2020).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Minimum bulk density (g/cm3) | 1.05 |
| Maximum bulk density (g/cm3) | 1.44 |
| Specific gravity | 2.26 |
UoM-W University of Manchester White
Simulant Name: University of Manchester White
Availability: May Be Available
Fidelity: Basic
Developed By: University of Manchester
Available From: N/A
Publications: Just, G. H. et al. (2020), Geotechnical Characterisation of Two New Low-Fidelity Lunar Regolith Analogues (UoM-B and UoM-W) for Use in Large-Scale Engineering Experiments. Acta Astronautica, in press.
UoM-W and the companion simulant UoM-B are two basic lunar simulants produced by the University of Manchester. The main constraint was finding a material available in large volumes for low cost, and the simulants are made from existing industrial materials. UoM-W (white) is made from something described as a "vitreous dust", which is crushed, dried and graded glass sand. From the bulk chemistry it is clear this is some kind of soda lime glass. The material was supplied by a UK company called "Specialist Aggregates", and other users may be able to purchase those same materials.