Modeling Supernova Debris Distribution in Lunar Regolith

This research presents a unified stochastic model of regolith gardening induced by the impact flux on the Moon. The model treats gardening as a competition between impact-driven advection and diffusion, and it accurately predicts the maturity profiles of Apollo cores over a wide range of timescales. The model's ability to describe the depth profiles of live Fe60 in Apollo regolith samples suggests that supernova dust capture is independent of native iron abundance and consistent with a uniform influx at the Apollo landing sites. Furthermore, the model extends to predict lunar signals for live r-process species that might originate from supernovae or kilonovae, including Pu244, I129, Hf182, and Cm247. The predicted Pu244/Fe60 depth profile can be used to probe the origin of Pu244, motivating searches in Artemis regolith samples down to depths of O(100) cm. This research provides a valuable tool for understanding the vertical redistribution of materials in the lunar regolith and for guiding the search for supernova debris in future lunar missions.

_Context: This intelligence report was compiled by the DailyOrbitalWire Strategy Engine. Verified for Art. 50 Compliance._