2023-09-20 11:58:00
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In addition to dust, craters and desert, there is also water on the moon. Researchers have now found out where the water comes from – with astonishing findings.
Hawaii – The moon, although it is on average 384,400 kilometers from Earth, has been quite well researched. Nevertheless, there are always new findings regarding the celestial body that keep researchers busy. A recent study shows, for example, that there are regular earthquakes on the moon. The presence of water on Earth’s satellite is also a recurring topic. It has been confirmed that there is water on the moon – but experts are still puzzled regarding its origin.
A research team from the University of Hawaii has now discovered that Earth’s electrons may form the water on the moon.
New study: Electrons create water on the moon
The research team led by planetary scientist Shuai Li (University of Hawaii at Manoa) has made the discovery that the water that occurs in the form of ice on the moon is probably related to electrons hitting the lunar surface. These come from the earth and the sun or the solar wind.
As the moon travels around the Earth, it passes through the Earth’s magnetic tail. The surroundings of this magnetotail are a plasma layer populated with charged ions and electrons. As the moon flies in and out of Earth’s magnetic tail, the particles hit the moon.
A new study suggests that electrons coming indirectly from the Earth and the Sun contribute to the formation of water on the lunar surface. (Symbolic image) © NASA
The Earth’s magnetic tail almost completely shields the moon from the solar wind as it passes through it. Conversely, this means that when the moon is outside the magnetotail, it is completely exposed to the solar wind. Until now, it was assumed that the solar wind, which consists of high-energy particles such as protons, was primarily responsible for the formation of water.
New finding: interaction of electrons with the lunar surface
There are almost no solar wind protons within the magnetic tail, so it was previously assumed that water formation would then drop to zero. However, according to scientist Li, the water formation in the magnetotail is almost identical to the time when the moon is outside the magnetotail.
This was a big surprise for the research group. She suggested that additional processes might be taking place inside the magnetic tail or that there might be new sources of water that are not directly related to the solar wind protons. However, further experiments are required. The study was carried out in Journal Nature Astronomy published and refers to the measurement data collected by the Indian mission “Chandrayaan 1” between 2008 and 2009.
The moon – a celestial body, many facets
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Water formation crucial for lunar colonization
The researchers believe that electrons might play an important role in water formation. “In particular, irradiation by high-energy electrons shows similar effects to solar wind protons,” explains Li in one Notice on the university website. The electrons might, for example, interact with the moon rock and release trapped hydrogen, which might then form water molecules.
This would mean that water production takes place in shady regions as well as in regions illuminated by the sun. The finding is proving crucial for NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to achieve long-term human settlement on the moon. Human settlements might make use of the water resources. (Josefin Schröder)
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