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The origin of the Earth-Moon system and the subsequent thermal-chemical evolution of the Moon remain mysterious after decades of observational, theoretical, and numerical investigations. One critical constraint for the formation and evolution of the Moon is the present-day thermal-compositional profile of the lunar interior including the water content. Electromagnetic induction analysis enables the derivation of such profiles as the depth-dependent electrical conductivity is a sensitive function of composition and temperature. Such electromagnetic induction analysis has been attempted with magnetometer measurements at the Apollo landing sites on the near side of the Moon but featured large uncertainties in part due to the low precision of the measurements and insufficient data coverage in the continuous time-domain. Critical improvements in measurement precisions in combination with measurements at multiple sites in the future, covering both near-side and far-side of the Moon, are indispensable to understand the thermal-chemical evolution and the formation of the Moon. In addition, simultaneous measurements of the magnetic field and solar wind proton flux at the lunar surface would provide critical observational tests to the hypothesis that lunar surface water is of solar wind origin. Moreover, measuring the local magnetic field on multiple sites of interests on the surface of the Moon would provide key observational constraints about the origin, dynamics, and longevity of the lunar dynamo. Here we propose to develop a miniaturized, low-power, high thermal-stability dual-fluxgate magnetometer system as a critical component for future lunar surface geophysical and environmental observatories. With innovative design of magnetically clean heaters and thermal isolation, our system is expected to reach extremely stable thermal condition within 0.2 degree C around two set-point temperatures, one during the lunar day, the other during the lunar night. Moreover, new design of the electronics system will reduce the total power consumption of our dual-fluxgate magnetometer system including the heater power to 2 Watts or less. These planned developments will enable our system to make continuous high-precision magnetic field measurements with a precision of 0.05 nano-Tesla or better at the lunar surface, which are critical for probing the present-day interior water content and temperature profile inside the Moon, the existence and properties of a partial melt layer above the lunar core, the size of the lunar core, the origin of lunar surface water, as well as the timing and amplitude of the past lunar dynamo. Our project will take this low-power, ultra-stable dual-fluxgate magnetometer package from Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 to 6, such that it can be readily proposed for inclusion on future lunar landers or rovers with minimal resource requirements. The modular, flexible design of our system allows for easy integration with other geophysical and space environment packages such as lunar seismometers, heat probes, and plasma detectors. Our planned development will significantly improve magnetic field measurement capabilities for lunar science missions including Artemis, Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS), and New Frontiers.
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