The Lunar Sample Compendium is a succinct summary of the data obtained from 40 years of study of Apollo and Luna samples of the Moon. Basic petrographic, chemical and age information is compiled, sample-by-sample, in the form of an advanced catalogue in order to provide a basic description of each sample. The LSC can be found online using Google.
The initial allocation of lunar samples was done sparingly, because it was realized that scientific techniques would improve over the years and new questions would be formulated. The LSC is important because it enables scientists to select samples within the context of the work that has already been done and facilitates better review of proposed allocations. It also provides back up material for public displays, captures information found only in abstracts, grey literature and curatorial databases and serves as a ready access to the now-vast scientific literature.
The LSC is divided into sections on basalts, breccias, plutonic samples, regolith (soils, cores, trenches), oriented samples, public displays and support for the lunar educational thin section teaching collection. The LSC includes; brief petrographic description (inc. significant clasts in breccias), chemical composition and plots, radiometric age data, cosmic ray and solar wind exposure, physical properties, processing and detailed bibliography.
The LSC is presented online, even as it is being developed. Future plans include; adding sections on additional samples, adding photomicrograhs of thin sections, replacing faded photographs with newly digitized photos from the original negatives, and making corrections to age data.