A new analysis of lunar soil has allowed scientists to hypothesize that the water particles it contains may have entered Earth’s moon from the Sun. To be more precise, the so-called “sunny water” It may have formed on the Moon as a result of the interaction of the solar wind, that is, hydrogen ions, with mineral oxides in the lunar soil. As a result of this interaction, the hydrogen combined with the oxygen displaced from the oxides, resulting in the formation of water particles.

This was the conclusion of geochemists Yuchen Xu and Heng-Ci Tian of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. During the study, they studied lunar soil particles that were sent to Earth as part of the Chanye-5 mission. Scientists believe that due to the interaction of the solar wind with the lunar soil, significant amounts of water may be present in the mid- and high-latitude regions of the satellite. The results of the study may influence perceptions of the source and distribution of water on the Moon.

Visually, the Moon looks like a dry ball of dust, but recent research has shown that there is more water on our planet’s moon than anyone thought. Of course, we are not talking about rivers and lakes, because the water on the Moon is stored as part of the regolith or in the form of ice deposits in craters where sunlight does not reach. The presence of water on the Moon makes scientists think about its origin and reserves.

There may be several options regarding the origin of moon water. First of all, it can reach the Earth’s satellite as a result of collisions with asteroids. At the same time, the solar wind is a reliable source of hydrogen ions, which can become one of the components of lunar water. Earlier work obtained as part of the American Apollo missions showed that the solar wind could be the source of one of the elements of lunar water.

In a recent study, Chinese scientists worked with a variety of materials, including olivine, plagioclase, and glass. All were obtained in one of the social and youngest craters on the Moon’s mid-latitudes, unlike those collected during the Apollo missions. Raman spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy made it possible to study the chemical composition of soil samples, including the 100-nanometer-thick outer crust most exposed to space air. As a result, the top layer of many samples was found to have high hydrogen content – between 1116 and 2516 parts per million, as well as very low deuterium isotopes and hydrogen content.

These ratios correspond to the ratios of elements in the solar wind. Based on this, scientists hypothesize that hydrogen accumulates in the topsoil when the solar wind collides with the Moon’s surface. The water content produced by the solar wind at the Chang’e-5 landing site should be about 46 parts per million, consistent with data obtained during remote sensing.

To determine the possibility of conserving hydrogen in lunar minerals, the researchers heated some samples. They also modeled the hydrogen preservation process in lunar soil at different temperatures. It turns out that temperature plays an important role in the implantation, migration and outgassing of hydrogen on the Moon. This means that a significant amount of water produced by the solar wind may be in the middle and high latitudes where the temperature is lower. Based on the data obtained, the scientists concluded that the polar regions of the Moon could be significantly richer in water, and this could be useful for the implementation of future lunar exploration missions. Source