A constant stream of particles from the Sun may play a key role in the formation of water on the surface of the Moon, a new NASA-led experiment suggests, writes UNN with reference to Live Science.
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During several space missions, scientists have discovered traces of water molecules and hydroxyl (OH) - an important component of water - on the lunar surface. For a long time, the source of this water remained a mystery. Among the likely causes were volcanic activity, the release of gases from deeper layers of the regolith, and micrometeorite impacts.
But a new NASA experiment, published March 17 in the journal JGR Planets, offers another hypothesis: water on the Moon may form precisely because of the impact of the solar wind.
Since the lunar soil is rich in oxygen, but deficient in hydrogen, the solar wind, which contains protons, i.e. hydrogen atoms, can interact with the regolith, receiving or "borrowing" electrons, forming hydrogen, which is necessary to create water.
To test the theory, the researchers used samples of lunar soil collected during the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. Using a miniature particle accelerator, they simulated the effect of the solar wind on the regolith for 80,000 years. The results showed chemical changes that indicated signs of water that had not been there before.
This discovery is of great importance for future lunar missions, as water could become a valuable resource for astronauts. In addition, it will help to better understand how the solar wind affects other celestial bodies without an atmosphere or magnetic field.