This solar particle might be creating water on Moon
What's the story
Future Moon explorers may find water sources more abundant than previously thought, a recent study suggests.
The research proposes that the Sun is replenishing this essential resource on the lunar surface.
This is because the Moon lacks a magnetic field like Earth's, which exposes its barren surface to energetic particles from the Sun, called solar wind.
Process
Solar wind's role in water formation on Moon
Solar wind, which is mostly made up of positively charged hydrogen ions, reacts with lunar electrons to create hydrogen atoms.
These fresh hydrogen atoms then move through the dusty, rocky regolith to bond with oxygen.
This process creates hydroxyl and water molecules all over the surface, often concentrated in permanently shadowed polar regions.
Confirmation
A look at NASA's experiment
Li Hsia Yeo, a planetary scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, led an experiment to confirm this process.
The lab experiment involved observing the effects of simulated solar wind, on two samples of loose regolith brought back by the Apollo 17 mission.
One sample was collected from Wessex Cleft while the other came from South Massif's young crater rim.
Simulation
Experiment simulates lunar conditions
To eliminate any terrestrial water absorbed by the 50-year-old samples, Yeo and her team baked them overnight in a vacuum furnace.
They then constructed an apparatus that simulated lunar conditions, including a vacuum chamber for the samples and a particle accelerator to bombard them with hydrogen ions for days.
"It took a long time... but it was worth it...," said Jason McLain, co-leader of the experiment with Yeo.
Results
Findings confirm theory
An analysis of how the samples' chemical makeup changed over time revealed a drop in the light signal at three microns, where water absorbs energy.
This suggests the formation of hydroxyl and water molecules due to mock solar wind, thus confirming the long-held theory.
The team also discovered that heating samples to typical lunar dayside temperatures for 24 hours resulted in a decrease in these water-related molecules.
Cycle
Solar wind replenishes lunar water
When the samples were cooled for another 24 hours and bombarded with mock solar wind again, the water-related signatures reappeared.
This cycle indicates that solar wind continuously replenishes small amounts of water on the Moon's surface.
"The exciting thing here is that with only lunar soil and a basic ingredient from the sun — which is always spitting out hydrogen — there's a possibility of creating water," Yeo said in a statement.
Publication
Study published in JGR Planets journal
The findings of this study could help assess the sustainability of water on the Moon, a crucial resource for life support and as a propellant for rockets.
The team's research, published in the journal JGR Planets, not only sheds light on lunar water formation but also opens up new possibilities for future Moon exploration and habitation.