An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
English-French-Persian

The loose, fragmentary material on the Moon's surface. The lunar regolith has resulted from → meteorite collisions all along the Moon's history. It is the → debris thrown out of the → impact craters. The composition of the lunar regolith varies from place to place depending on the rock types impacted. Generally, the older the surface, the thicker the regolith. Regolith on young → maria may be only 2 meters thick; whereas, it is perhaps 20 meters thick in the older → highlands.

→ lunar; → regolith.

1) The layer of rocky → debris and → dust that forms the uppermost surface of → planets, → natural satellites, and → asteroids. Regolith on Earth is a product of → weathering.
2) In particular, → lunar regolith.

From Gk. regho(s) "rug, blanket" + -lith, from lithos "stone."

Sangpuš, literally "stone, rock covering," from sang "→ stone, rock," + puš present stem of pušidan "to cover; to put on," → envelop.