The moon’s water has long fascinated scientists, and researchers have proposed that it might be forming thanks to the sun. A new study confirms this process, showing that charged particles from the sun can spark a chemical reaction that produces water on the lunar surface.
Scientists at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center used a realistic simulation of solar wind hitting lunar dust to test the theory. They found evidence of hydroxyl and water molecules in the moon’s uppermost surface, just a few millimeters deep.
The study’s lead researcher, Li Hsia Yeo, explains that with only lunar soil and a basic ingredient from the sun, it’s possible to create water. This discovery has significant implications for future lunar missions, especially those aimed at the Moon’s South Pole, where frozen water may be found in shadowed craters.
The study supports the idea that the sun plays a major role in forming water on the moon through solar wind. If this theory is confirmed, it could make lunar soil a valuable resource for future astronauts, providing drinking water, breathable oxygen, and even rocket fuel.
The researchers used a unique lab setup to test their theory, eliminating contamination from Earth’s moisture. They bombarded lunar dust with high doses of mock solar wind using a particle accelerator and tracked changes using a spectrometer. The results show that the sun is indeed responsible for forming water on the moon.
This discovery has significant implications for future lunar exploration and could make lunar soil a valuable resource.
Source: https://www.earth.com/news/how-the-sun-might-be-making-water-on-the-moon