1
|
Zhou C, Mo B, Tang H, Gu Y, Li X, Zhu D, Yu W, Liu J. Multiple sources of water preserved in impact glasses from Chang'e-5 lunar soil. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadl2413. [PMID: 38728402 PMCID: PMC11086615 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adl2413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
The existence of molecular H2O and evolution of solar wind-derived water on the lunar surface remain controversial. We report that large amounts of OH and molecular H2O related to solar wind and other multiple sources are preserved in impact glasses from Chang'e-5 (CE5) lunar soil based on reflectance infrared spectroscopy and nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry analyses. The estimated water content contributed by impact glasses to CE5 lunar soil was ~72 ppm, including molecular H2O of up to 15 to 25 ppm. Our studies revealed that impact glasses are the main carrier of molecular H2O in lunar soils. Moreover, water in CE5 impact glasses provides a record of complex formation processes and multiple water sources, including water derived from solar wind, deposited by water-bearing meteorites/micrometeorites, and inherited from lunar indigenous water. Our study provides a better understanding of the evolution of surficial water on airless bodies and identifies potential source and storage pathways for water in the terrestrial planets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chuanjiao Zhou
- Center for Lunar and Planetary Sciences, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
- College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Bing Mo
- Center for Lunar and Planetary Sciences, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
- Center for Excellence in Comparative Planetology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Hong Tang
- Center for Lunar and Planetary Sciences, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
- Center for Excellence in Comparative Planetology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Yaya Gu
- Center for Lunar and Planetary Sciences, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
- College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiongyao Li
- Center for Lunar and Planetary Sciences, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
- Center for Excellence in Comparative Planetology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Dan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Ore Deposit Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Wen Yu
- Center for Lunar and Planetary Sciences, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
- Center for Excellence in Comparative Planetology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Jianzhong Liu
- Center for Lunar and Planetary Sciences, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
- Center for Excellence in Comparative Planetology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230026, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Burgess KD, Cymes BA, Stroud RM. Hydrogen-bearing vesicles in space weathered lunar calcium-phosphates. COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT 2023; 4:414. [PMID: 38665188 PMCID: PMC11041702 DOI: 10.1038/s43247-023-01060-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Water on the surface of the Moon is a potentially vital resource for future lunar bases and longer-range space exploration. Effective use of the resource depends on developing an understanding of where and how within the regolith the water is formed and retained. Solar wind hydrogen, which can form molecular hydrogen, water and/or hydroxyl on the lunar surface, reacts and is retained differently depending on regolith mineral content, thermal history, and other variables. Here we present transmission electron microscopy analyses of Apollo lunar soil 79221 that reveal solar-wind hydrogen concentrated in vesicles as molecular hydrogen in the calcium-phosphates apatite and merrillite. The location of the vesicles in the space weathered grain rims offers a clear link between the vesicle contents and solar wind irradiation, as well as individual grain thermal histories. Hydrogen stored in grain rims is a source for volatiles released in the exosphere during impacts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katherine D. Burgess
- Materials Science and Technology Division, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375 USA
| | - Brittany A. Cymes
- Materials Science and Technology Division, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375 USA
- Jacobs, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058 USA
| | - Rhonda M. Stroud
- Materials Science and Technology Division, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375 USA
- School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287 USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Zimoń MJ, Martelli F. Molecular rotations trigger a glass-to-plastic fcc heterogeneous crystallization in high-pressure water. J Chem Phys 2023; 158:114501. [PMID: 36948797 DOI: 10.1063/5.0138368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
We report a molecular dynamics study of the heterogeneous crystallization of high-pressure glassy water using (plastic) ice VII as a substrate. We focus on the thermodynamic conditions P ∈ [6-8] GPa and T ∈ [100-500] K, at which (plastic) ice VII and glassy water are supposed to coexist in several (exo)planets and icy moons. We find that (plastic) ice VII undergoes a martensitic phase transition to a (plastic) fcc crystal. Depending on the molecular rotational lifetime τ, we identify three rotational regimes: for τ > 20 ps, crystallization does not occur; for τ ∼ 15 ps, we observe a very sluggish crystallization and the formation of a considerable amount of icosahedral environments trapped in a highly defective crystal or in the residual glassy matrix; and for τ < 10 ps, crystallization takes place smoothly, resulting in an almost defect-free plastic fcc solid. The presence of icosahedral environments at intermediate τ is of particular interest as it shows that such a geometry, otherwise ephemeral at lower pressures, is, indeed, present in water. We justify the presence of icosahedral structures based on geometrical arguments. Our results represent the first study of heterogeneous crystallization occurring at thermodynamic conditions of relevance for planetary science and unveil the role of molecular rotations in achieving it. Our findings (i) show that the stability of plastic ice VII, widely reported in the literature, should be reconsidered in favor of plastic fcc, (ii) provide a rationale for the role of molecular rotations in achieving heterogeneous crystallization, and (iii) represent the first evidence of long-living icosahedral structures in water. Therefore, our work pushes forward our understanding of the properties of water.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Fausto Martelli
- IBM Research Europe, Hartree Centre, Daresbury WA4 4AD, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Vuong PQ, Quang ND, Kim H, Lee J, Kang S, Nam UW, Park WK, Sohn J, Choi YJ, Youn S, Ye SJ, Kim S. Development of novel crystal scintillators for lunar surface science. Radiat Phys Chem Oxf Engl 1993 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.radphyschem.2022.110425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
|
5
|
Chang’E-5 samples reveal high water content in lunar minerals. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5336. [PMID: 36088436 PMCID: PMC9464205 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33095-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The formation and distribution of lunar surficial water remains ambiguous. Here, we show the prominence of water (OH/H2O) attributed to solar wind implantation on the uppermost surface of olivine, plagioclase, and pyroxene grains from Chang’E-5 samples. The results of spectral and microstructural analyses indicate that solar wind-derived water is affected by exposure time, crystal structure, and mineral composition. Our estimate of a minimum of 170 ppm water content in lunar soils in the Chang’E-5 region is consistent with that reported by the Moon Minerology Mapper and Chang’E-5 lander. By comparing with remote sensing data and through lunar soil maturity analysis, the amount of water in Chang’E-5 provides a reference for the distribution of surficial water in middle latitude of the Moon. We conclude that minerals in lunar soils are important reservoirs of water, and formation and retention of water originating from solar wind occurs on airless bodies. Lunar soils returned by China’s Chang’E−5 (CE5) mission record the unique information of solar wind essential to understanding the preservation and distribution of lunar surficial water. Here the authors report abundant water formed by solar wind implantation in minerals of CE5 lunar soils; the water content in CE5 lunar soils is estimated to be ~ 170 ppm.
Collapse
|
6
|
Cremons DR, Honniball CI. Simulated Lunar Surface Hydration Measurements Using Multispectral Lidar at 3 µm. EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE (HOBOKEN, N.J.) 2022; 9:e2022EA002277. [PMID: 36035964 PMCID: PMC9400864 DOI: 10.1029/2022ea002277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Accurately measuring the variability of spectroscopic signatures of hydration (H2O + OH) on the illuminated lunar surface at 3 μm as a function of latitude, lunar time of day, and composition is crucial to determining the generation and destruction mechanisms of OH species and understanding the global water cycle. A prime complication in analysis of the spectroscopic feature is the accurate removal of thermal emission, which can modify or even eliminate the hydration feature depending on the data processing methods used and assumptions made. An orbital multispectral lidar, with laser illumination at key diagnostic wavelengths, would provide uniform, zero-phase geometry, complete latitude and time of day coverage from a circular polar orbit, and is agnostic to the thermal state of the surface. We have performed measurement simulations of a four-wavelength multispectral lidar using spectral mixtures of hydrated mid-ocean-ridge basalt (MORB) glasses and lunar regolith endmembers to assess the lidar performance in measuring hydration signatures on the lunar surface. Our results show a feasible system with wavelengths at 1.5 μm, 2.65 μm, 2.8 μm, and 3.1 μm can measure lunar hydration with a precision of 52 ppm (1σ) or better. These results, combined with the uniform measurement capabilities of multispectral lidar make it a valuable spectroscopic technique for elucidating mechanisms of OH/H2O generation, migration, and destruction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - C. I. Honniball
- NASA Postdoctoral ProgramNASA Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbeltMDUSA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Evidence of water on the lunar surface from Chang'E-5 in-situ spectra and returned samples. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3119. [PMID: 35701397 PMCID: PMC9198042 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30807-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The distribution range, time-varying characteristics, and sources of lunar water are still controversial. Here we show the Chang’E-5 in-situ spectral observations of lunar water under Earth’s magnetosphere shielding and relatively high temperatures. Our results show the hydroxyl contents of lunar soils in Chang’E-5 landing site are with a mean value of 28.5 ppm, which is on the weak end of lunar hydration features. This is consistent with the predictions from remote sensing and ground-based telescopic data. Laboratory analysis of the Chang’E-5 returned samples also provide critical clues to the possible sources of these hydroxyl contents. Much less agglutinate glass contents suggest a weak contribution of solar wind implantation. Besides, the apatite present in the samples can provide hydroxyl contents in the range of 0 to 179 ± 13 ppm, which shows compelling evidence that, the hydroxyl-containing apatite may be an important source for the excess hydroxyl observed at this young mare region. Laboratory analysis of returned Chang’E-5 samples from the lunar surface show their hydroxyl contents to be on the weak end of lunar hydration features.
Collapse
|
8
|
Gu Y, Yang R, Geng H, Wang Q, Hui H. Geological processes and products recorded in lunar soils: A review. CHINESE SCIENCE BULLETIN-CHINESE 2022. [DOI: 10.1360/tb-2021-1039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
|
9
|
Grava C, Killen RM, Benna M, Berezhnoy AA, Halekas JS, Leblanc F, Nishino MN, Plainaki C, Raines JM, Sarantos M, Teolis BD, Tucker OJ, Vervack RJ, Vorburger A. Volatiles and Refractories in Surface-Bounded Exospheres in the Inner Solar System. SPACE SCIENCE REVIEWS 2021; 217:61. [PMID: 34720217 PMCID: PMC8550778 DOI: 10.1007/s11214-021-00833-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Volatiles and refractories represent the two end-members in the volatility range of species in any surface-bounded exosphere. Volatiles include elements that do not interact strongly with the surface, such as neon (detected on the Moon) and helium (detected both on the Moon and at Mercury), but also argon, a noble gas (detected on the Moon) that surprisingly adsorbs at the cold lunar nighttime surface. Refractories include species such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and aluminum, all of which have very strong bonds with the lunar surface and thus need energetic processes to be ejected into the exosphere. Here we focus on the properties of species that have been detected in the exospheres of inner Solar System bodies, specifically the Moon and Mercury, and how they provide important information to understand source and loss processes of these exospheres, as well as their dependence on variations in external drivers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cesare Grava
- Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX USA
| | | | - Mehdi Benna
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD USA
- University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Alexey A Berezhnoy
- Sternberg Astronomical Institute, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
- Institute of Physics, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia
| | - Jasper S Halekas
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA USA
| | | | - Masaki N Nishino
- Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Sagamihara, Kanagawa Japan
| | | | - Jim M Raines
- Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI USA
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Li S, Lucey PG, Fraeman AA, Poppe AR, Sun VZ, Hurley DM, Schultz PH. Widespread hematite at high latitudes of the Moon. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:6/36/eaba1940. [PMID: 32917587 PMCID: PMC7467685 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aba1940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Hematite (Fe2O3) is a common oxidization product on Earth, Mars, and some asteroids. Although oxidizing processes have been speculated to operate on the lunar surface and form ferric iron-bearing minerals, unambiguous detections of ferric minerals forming under highly reducing conditions on the Moon have remained elusive. Our analyses of the Moon Mineralogy Mapper data show that hematite, a ferric mineral, is present at high latitudes on the Moon, mostly associated with east- and equator-facing sides of topographic highs, and is more prevalent on the nearside than the farside. Oxygen delivered from Earth's upper atmosphere could be the major oxidant that forms lunar hematite. Hematite at craters of different ages may have preserved the oxygen isotopes of Earth's atmosphere in the past billions of years. Future oxygen isotope measurements can test our hypothesis and may help reveal the evolution of Earth's atmosphere.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Li
- Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA.
| | - Paul G Lucey
- Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - Abigail A Fraeman
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - Andrew R Poppe
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Vivian Z Sun
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - Dana M Hurley
- Applied Physics Laboratory Johns Hopkins, Laurel, MD 20723, USA
| | - Peter H Schultz
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Zhu C, Crandall PB, Gillis-Davis JJ, Ishii HA, Bradley JP, Corley LM, Kaiser RI. Untangling the formation and liberation of water in the lunar regolith. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:11165-11170. [PMID: 31110011 PMCID: PMC6561281 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1819600116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The source of water (H2O) and hydroxyl radicals (OH), identified on the lunar surface, represents a fundamental, unsolved puzzle. The interaction of solar-wind protons with silicates and oxides has been proposed as a key mechanism, but laboratory experiments yield conflicting results that suggest that proton implantation alone is insufficient to generate and liberate water. Here, we demonstrate in laboratory simulation experiments combined with imaging studies that water can be efficiently generated and released through rapid energetic heating like micrometeorite impacts into anhydrous silicates implanted with solar-wind protons. These synergistic effects of solar-wind protons and micrometeorites liberate water at mineral temperatures from 10 to 300 K via vesicles, thus providing evidence of a key mechanism to synthesize water in silicates and advancing our understanding on the origin of water as detected on the Moon and other airless bodies in our solar system such as Mercury and asteroids.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Zhu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822
- W. M. Keck Laboratory in Astrochemistry, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822
| | - Parker B Crandall
- Department of Chemistry, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822
- W. M. Keck Laboratory in Astrochemistry, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822
| | - Jeffrey J Gillis-Davis
- Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822
| | - Hope A Ishii
- Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822
| | - John P Bradley
- Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822
| | - Laura M Corley
- Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822
| | - Ralf I Kaiser
- Department of Chemistry, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822;
- W. M. Keck Laboratory in Astrochemistry, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Benna M, Hurley DM, Stubbs TJ, Mahaffy PR, Elphic RC. Lunar soil hydration constrained by exospheric water liberated by meteoroid impacts. NATURE GEOSCIENCE 2019; 12:333-338. [PMID: 32572337 PMCID: PMC7306913 DOI: 10.1038/s41561-019-0345-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Analyses of samples from the Apollo missions suggest that the Moon formed devoid of native water. However, recent observations by Cassini, Deep Impact, Lunar Prospector and Chandrayaan-1 indicate the existence of an active water cycle on the Moon. Here we report observations of this water cycle, specifically detections of near-surface water released into the lunar exosphere by the Neutral Mass Spectrometer on the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer. The timing of 29 water releases is associated with the Moon encountering known meteoroid streams. The intensities of these releases reflect the convoluted effects of the flux, velocity and impact location of the parent streams. We propose that four additional detected water releases represent the signature of previously undiscovered meteoroid streams. We show that water release from meteoroid impacts is indicative of a lunar surface that has a desiccated soil layer of several centimetres on top of uniformly hydrated soil. We infer that the Moon is currently in the process of losing water that was either delivered long ago or present at its formation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M. Benna
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
- CSST, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - D. M. Hurley
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, USA
| | - T. J. Stubbs
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - P. R. Mahaffy
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - R. C. Elphic
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Design and Characterization of the Multi-Band SWIR Receiver for the Lunar Flashlight CubeSat Mission. REMOTE SENSING 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/rs11040440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Lunar Flashlight (LF) is an innovative National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) CubeSat mission that is dedicated to quantifying and mapping the water ice that is harbored in the permanently shadowed craters of the lunar South Pole. The primary goal is to understand the lunar resource potential for future human exploration of the Moon. To this end, the LF spacecraft will carry an active multi-band reflectometer, based on an optical receiver aligned with four high-power diode lasers emitting in the 1 to 2-μm shortwave infrared band, to measure the reflectance of the lunar surface from orbit near water ice absorption peaks. We present the detailed optical, mechanical, and thermal design of the receiver, which is required to fabricate this instrument within very demanding CubeSat resource allocations. The receiver has been optimized for solar stray light rejection from outside its field of view, and utilizes a 70 × 70-mm, aluminum, off-axis paraboloidal mirror with a focal length of 70 mm, which collects the reflected light from the Moon surface onto a single-pixel InGaAs detector with a 2-mm diameter, hence providing a 20-mrad field of view. The characterization of the flight receiver is also presented, and the results are in agreement with the expected performance obtained from simulations. Planned to be launched by NASA on the first Space Launch System (SLS) test flight, this highly mass-constrained and volume-constrained instrument payload will demonstrate several firsts, including being one of the first instruments onboard a CubeSat performing science measurements beyond low Earth orbit, and the first planetary mission to use multi-band active reflectometry from orbit.
Collapse
|
14
|
Schulze-Makuch D, Crawford IA. Was There an Early Habitability Window for Earth's Moon? ASTROBIOLOGY 2018; 18:985-988. [PMID: 30035616 PMCID: PMC6225594 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2018.1844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Dirk Schulze-Makuch
- Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Technical University Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- School of the Environment, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Ian A. Crawford
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Abstract
Silica polymorphs, such as quartz, tridymite, cristobalite, coesite, stishovite, seifertite, baddeleyite-type SiO2, high-pressure silica glass, moganite, and opal, have been found in lunar and/or martian rocks by macro-microanalyses of the samples and remote-sensing observations on the celestial bodies. Because each silica polymorph is stable or metastable at different pressure and temperature conditions, its appearance is variable depending on the occurrence of the lunar and martian rocks. In other words, types of silica polymorphs provide valuable information on the igneous process (e.g., crystallization temperature and cooling rate), shock metamorphism (e.g., shock pressure and temperature), and hydrothermal fluid activity (e.g., pH and water content), implying their importance in planetary science. Therefore, this article focused on reviewing and summarizing the representative and important investigations of lunar and martian silica from the viewpoints of its discovery from lunar and martian materials, the formation processes, the implications for planetary science, and the future prospects in the field of “micro-mineralogy”.
Collapse
|
16
|
Neish CD, Lorenz RD, Turtle EP, Barnes JW, Trainer MG, Stiles B, Kirk R, Hibbitts CA, Malaska MJ. Strategies for Detecting Biological Molecules on Titan. ASTROBIOLOGY 2018; 18:571-585. [PMID: 29718687 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2017.1758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Saturn's moon Titan has all the ingredients needed to produce "life as we know it." When exposed to liquid water, organic molecules analogous to those found on Titan produce a range of biomolecules such as amino acids. Titan thus provides a natural laboratory for studying the products of prebiotic chemistry. In this work, we examine the ideal locales to search for evidence of, or progression toward, life on Titan. We determine that the best sites to identify biological molecules are deposits of impact melt on the floors of large, fresh impact craters, specifically Sinlap, Selk, and Menrva craters. We find that it is not possible to identify biomolecules on Titan through remote sensing, but rather through in situ measurements capable of identifying a wide range of biological molecules. Given the nonuniformity of impact melt exposures on the floor of a weathered impact crater, the ideal lander would be capable of precision targeting. This would allow it to identify the locations of fresh impact melt deposits, and/or sites where the melt deposits have been exposed through erosion or mass wasting. Determining the extent of prebiotic chemistry within these melt deposits would help us to understand how life could originate on a world very different from Earth. Key Words: Titan-Prebiotic chemistry-Solar system exploration-Impact processes-Volcanism. Astrobiology 18, 571-585.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Catherine D Neish
- 1 Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Western Ontario , London, Canada
| | - Ralph D Lorenz
- 2 The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory , Laurel, Maryland
| | | | - Jason W Barnes
- 3 Department of Physics, University of Idaho , Moscow, Idaho
| | | | - Bryan Stiles
- 5 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, California
| | - Randolph Kirk
- 6 United States Geological Survey, Astrogeology Science Center , Flagstaff, Arizona
| | | | - Michael J Malaska
- 5 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, California
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Kayama M, Tomioka N, Ohtani E, Seto Y, Nagaoka H, Götze J, Miyake A, Ozawa S, Sekine T, Miyahara M, Tomeoka K, Matsumoto M, Shoda N, Hirao N, Kobayashi T. Discovery of moganite in a lunar meteorite as a trace of H 2O ice in the Moon's regolith. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2018; 4:eaar4378. [PMID: 29732406 PMCID: PMC5931767 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aar4378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Accepted: 03/16/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Moganite, a monoclinic SiO2 phase, has been discovered in a lunar meteorite. Silica micrograins occur as nanocrystalline aggregates of mostly moganite and occasionally coesite and stishovite in the KREEP (high potassium, rare-earth element, and phosphorus)-like gabbroic-basaltic breccia NWA 2727, although these grains are seemingly absent in other lunar meteorites. We interpret the origin of these grains as follows: alkaline water delivery to the Moon via carbonaceous chondrite collisions, fluid capture during impact-induced brecciation, moganite precipitation from the captured H2O at pH 9.5 to 10.5 and 363 to 399 K on the sunlit surface, and meteorite launch from the Moon caused by an impact at 8 to 22 GPa and >673 K. On the subsurface, this captured H2O may still remain as ice at estimated bulk content of >0.6 weight %. This indicates the possibility of the presence of abundant available water resources underneath local sites of the host bodies within the Procellarum KREEP and South Pole Aitken terranes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Masahiro Kayama
- Department of Earth and Planetary Materials Science, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578, Japan
- Creative Interdisciplinary Research Division, Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578, Japan
| | - Naotaka Tomioka
- Kochi Institute for Core Sample Research, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, 200 Monobe Otsu, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8502, Japan
| | - Eiji Ohtani
- Department of Earth and Planetary Materials Science, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578, Japan
| | - Yusuke Seto
- Department of Planetology, Graduate School of Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai-cho, Nada-ku, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Nagaoka
- Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Shinjuku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan
| | - Jens Götze
- TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Institute of Mineralogy, Brennhausgasse 14, 09596 Freiberg, Germany
| | - Akira Miyake
- Department of Geology and Mineralogy, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-Oiwake, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Shin Ozawa
- Department of Earth and Planetary Materials Science, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578, Japan
| | - Toshimori Sekine
- Department of Earth and Planetary Systems Science, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8526, Japan
- Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research, Pudong, Shanghai 201203, P.R. China
| | - Masaaki Miyahara
- Department of Earth and Planetary Systems Science, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8526, Japan
| | - Kazushige Tomeoka
- Department of Planetology, Graduate School of Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai-cho, Nada-ku, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| | - Megumi Matsumoto
- Department of Planetology, Graduate School of Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai-cho, Nada-ku, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| | - Naoki Shoda
- Department of Planetology, Graduate School of Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai-cho, Nada-ku, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| | - Naohisa Hirao
- Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute, 1-1-1 Kouto Sayo, Hyogo 679-5198, Japan
| | - Takamichi Kobayashi
- National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Bandfield JL, Poston MJ, Klima RL, Edwards CS. Widespread distribution of OH/H 2O on the lunar surface inferred from spectral data. NATURE GEOSCIENCE 2018; 11:173-177. [PMID: 29520302 PMCID: PMC5835832 DOI: 10.1038/s41561-018-0065-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2017] [Accepted: 01/11/2018] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Remote sensing data from lunar orbiters have revealed spectral features consistent with the presence of OH or H2O on the lunar surface. Analyses of data from the Moon Mineralogy Mapper spectrometer onboard the Chandryaan-1 spacecraft have suggested that OH/H2O is recycled on diurnal timescales and persists only at high latitudes. However, the spatial distribution and temporal variability of the OH/H2O, as well as its source, remain uncertain. Here we incorporate a physics-based thermal correction into analysis of reflectance spectra from the Moon Mineralogy Mapper and find that prominent absorption features consistent with OH/H2O can be present at all latitudes, local times, and surface types examined. This suggests the widespread presence of OH/H2O on the lunar surface without significant diurnal migration. We suggest that the spectra are consistent with the production of OH in space weathered materials by the solar wind implantation of H+ and formation of OH at crystal defect sites, as opposed to H2O sourced from the lunar interior. Regardless of the specific composition or formation mechanism, we conclude that OH/H2O can be present on the Moon under thermal conditions more wide-ranging than previously recognized.
Collapse
|
19
|
Wöhler C, Grumpe A, Berezhnoy AA, Shevchenko VV. Time-of-day-dependent global distribution of lunar surficial water/hydroxyl. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2017; 3:e1701286. [PMID: 28913430 PMCID: PMC5590783 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1701286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2017] [Accepted: 08/10/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
A new set of time-of-day-dependent global maps of the lunar near-infrared water/hydroxyl (H2O/OH) absorption band strength near 2.8 to 3.0 μm constructed on the basis of Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) data is presented. The analyzed absorption band near 2.8 to 3.0 μm indicates the presence of surficial H2O/OH. To remove the thermal emission component from the M3 reflectance spectra, a reliable and physically realistic mapping method has been developed. Our maps show that lunar highlands at high latitudes show a stronger H2O/OH absorption band in the lunar morning and evening than at midday. The amplitude of these time-of-day-dependent variations decreases with decreasing latitude of the highland regions, where below about 30°, absorption strength becomes nearly constant during the lunar day at a similar level as in the high-latitude highlands at midday. The lunar maria exhibit weaker H2O/OH absorption than the highlands at all, but showing a smaller difference from highlands absorption levels in the morning and evening than at midday. The level around midday is generally higher for low-Ti than for high-Ti mare surfaces, where it reaches near-zero values. Our observations contrast with previous studies that indicate a significant concentration of surficial H2O/OH at high latitudes only. Furthermore, although our results generally support the commonly accepted mechanism of H2O/OH formation by adsorption of solar wind protons, they suggest the presence of a more strongly bounded surficial H2O/OH component in the lunar highlands and parts of the mare regions, which is not removed by processes such as diffusion/thermal evaporation and photolysis in the course of the lunar day.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christian Wöhler
- Image Analysis Group, Technical University of Dortmund, Otto-Hahn-Str. 4, D-44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Arne Grumpe
- Image Analysis Group, Technical University of Dortmund, Otto-Hahn-Str. 4, D-44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Alexey A. Berezhnoy
- Sternberg Astronomical Institute, Moscow State University, Universitetskij pr., 13, 119234 Moscow, Russia
| | - Vladislav V. Shevchenko
- Sternberg Astronomical Institute, Moscow State University, Universitetskij pr., 13, 119234 Moscow, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Li S, Milliken RE. Water on the surface of the Moon as seen by the Moon Mineralogy Mapper: Distribution, abundance, and origins. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2017; 3:e1701471. [PMID: 28924612 PMCID: PMC5597310 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1701471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2017] [Accepted: 08/13/2017] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
A new thermal correction model and experimentally validated relationships between absorption strength and water content have been used to construct the first global quantitative maps of lunar surface water derived from the Moon Mineralogy Mapper near-infrared reflectance data. We find that OH abundance increases as a function of latitude, approaching values of ~500 to 750 parts per million (ppm). Water content also increases with the degree of space weathering, consistent with the preferential retention of water originating from solar wind implantation during agglutinate formation. Anomalously high water contents indicative of interior magmatic sources are observed in several locations, but there is no global correlation between surface composition and water content. Surface water abundance can vary by ~200 ppm over a lunar day, and the upper meter of regolith may contain a total of ~1.2 × 1014 g of water averaged over the globe. Formation and migration of water toward cold traps may thus be a continuous process on the Moon and other airless bodies.
Collapse
|
21
|
Klima RL, Petro NE. Remotely distinguishing and mapping endogenic water on the Moon. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2017; 375:20150391. [PMID: 28416727 PMCID: PMC5394255 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2015.0391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/14/2016] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Water and/or hydroxyl detected remotely on the lunar surface originates from several sources: (i) comets and other exogenous debris; (ii) solar-wind implantation; (iii) the lunar interior. While each of these sources is interesting in its own right, distinguishing among them is critical for testing hypotheses for the origin and evolution of the Moon and our Solar System. Existing spacecraft observations are not of high enough spectral resolution to uniquely characterize the bonding energies of the hydroxyl molecules that have been detected. Nevertheless, the spatial distribution and associations of H, OH- or H2O with specific lunar lithologies provide some insight into the origin of lunar hydrous materials. The global distribution of OH-/H2O as detected using infrared spectroscopic measurements from orbit is here examined, with particular focus on regional geological features that exhibit OH-/H2O absorption band strengths that differ from their immediate surroundings.This article is part of the themed issue 'The origin, history and role of water in the evolution of the inner Solar System'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel L Klima
- Space Exploration Sector, Planetary Exploration Group, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD 20723, USA
| | - Noah E Petro
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Pieters CM, Noble SK. Space Weathering on Airless Bodies. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH. PLANETS 2016; 121:1865-1884. [PMID: 29862145 PMCID: PMC5975224 DOI: 10.1002/2016je005128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Space weathering refers to alteration that occurs in the space environment with time. Lunar samples, and to some extent meteorites, have provided a benchmark for understanding the processes and products of space weathering. Lunar soils are derived principally from local materials but have accumulated a range of optically active opaque particles (OAOpq) that include nanophase metallic iron on/in rims formed on individual grains (imparting a red slope to visible and near-infrared reflectance) and larger iron particles (which darken across all wavelengths) such as are often found within the interior of recycled grains. Space weathering of other anhydrous silicate bodies, such as Mercury and some asteroids, produce different forms and relative abundance of OAOpq particles depending on the particular environment. If the development of OAOpq particles is minimized (such as at Vesta), contamination by exogenic material and regolith mixing become the dominant space weathering processes. Volatile-rich bodies and those composed of abundant hydrous minerals (dwarf planet Ceres, many dark asteroids, outer solar system satellites) are affected by space weathering processes differently than the silicate bodies of the inner solar system. However, the space weathering products of these bodies are currently poorly understood and the physics and chemistry of space weathering processes in different environments are areas of active research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carle M Pieters
- Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912
| | - Sarah K Noble
- Planetary Science Division, NASA Headquarters, Washington DC, 20546, one: 202-358-2492
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Livengood T, Chin G, Sagdeev R, Mitrofanov I, Boynton W, Evans L, Litvak M, McClanahan T, Sanin A, Starr R, Su J. Moonshine: Diurnally varying hydration through natural distillation on the Moon, detected by the Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector (LEND). ICARUS 2015; 255:100-115. [PMID: 28798496 PMCID: PMC5548521 DOI: 10.1016/j.icarus.2015.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector (LEND), on the polar-orbiting Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft, has detected suppression in the Moon's naturally-occurring epithermal neutron leakage flux that is consistent with the presence of diurnally varying quantities of hydrogen in the regolith near the equator. Peak hydrogen concentration (neutron flux suppression) is on the dayside of the dawn terminator and diminishes through the dawn-to-noon sector. The minimum concentration of hydrogen is in the late afternoon and dusk sector. The chemical form of hydrogen is not determinable from these measurements, but other remote sensing methods and anticipated elemental availability suggest water molecules or hydroxyl ions. Signal-to-noise ratio at maximum contrast is 5.6σ in each of two detector systems. Volatiles are deduced to collect in or on the cold nightside surface and distill out of the regolith after dawn as rotation exposes the surface to sunlight. Liberated volatiles migrate away from the warm subsolar region toward the nearby cold nightside surface beyond the terminator, resulting in maximum concentration at the dawn terminator. The peak concentration within the upper ~1 m of regolith is estimated to be 0.0125 ± 0.0022 weight-percent water-equivalent hydrogen (wt% WEH) at dawn, yielding an accumulation of 190 ± 30 ml recoverable water per square meter of regolith at each dawn. Volatile transport over the lunar surface in opposition to the Moon's rotation exposes molecules to solar ultraviolet radiation. The short lifetime against photolysis and permanent loss of hydrogen from the Moon requires a resupply rate that greatly exceeds anticipated delivery of hydrogen by solar wind implantation or by meteoroid impacts, suggesting that the surface inventory must be continually resupplied by release from a deep volatile inventory in the Moon. The natural distillation of water from the regolith by sunlight and its capture on the cold night surface may provide energy-efficient access to volatiles for in situ resource utilization (ISRU) by direct capture before volatiles can enter the surface, eliminating the need to actively mine regolith for volatile resource recovery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- T.A. Livengood
- CRESST/University of Maryland at Planetary Systems Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, United States
| | - G. Chin
- Planetary Systems Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, United States
| | - R.Z. Sagdeev
- Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States
| | | | - W.V. Boynton
- Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, United States
| | - L.G. Evans
- Computer Sciences Corporation, Lanham-Seabrook, MD 20706, United States
| | - M.L. Litvak
- Institute for Space Research, Moscow, Russia
| | - T.P. McClanahan
- Astrochemistry Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, United States
| | - A.B. Sanin
- Institute for Space Research, Moscow, Russia
| | - R.D. Starr
- Department of Physics, Catholic University of America, Washington, DC 20064, United States
| | - J.J. Su
- Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Schorghofer N. Two-dimensional description of surface-bounded exospheres with application to the migration of water molecules on the Moon. Phys Rev E 2015; 91:052154. [PMID: 26066166 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.91.052154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
On the Moon, water molecules and other volatiles are thought to migrate along ballistic trajectories. Here, this migration process is described in terms of a two-dimensional partial differential equation for the surface concentration, based on the probability distribution of thermal ballistic hops. A random-walk model, a corresponding diffusion coefficient, and a continuum description are provided. In other words, a surface-bounded exosphere is described purely in terms of quantities on the surface, which can provide computational and conceptual advantages. The derived continuum equation can be used to calculate the steady-state distribution of the surface concentration of volatile water molecules. An analytic steady-state solution is obtained for an equatorial ring; it reveals the width and mass of the pileup of molecules at the morning terminator.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Norbert Schorghofer
- Institute for Astronomy, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, USA
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Abstract
Recent data from Apollo samples demonstrate the presence of water in the lunar interior and at the surface, challenging previous assumption that the Moon was free of water. However, the source(s) of this water remains enigmatic. The external flux of particles and solid materials that reach the surface of the airless Moon constitute a hydrogen (H) surface reservoir that can be converted to water (or OH) during proton implantation in rocks or remobilization during magmatic events. Our original goal was thus to quantify the relative contributions to this H surface reservoir. To this end, we report NanoSIMS measurements of D/H and (7)Li/(6)Li ratios on agglutinates, volcanic glasses, and plagioclase grains from the Apollo sample collection. Clear correlations emerge between cosmogenic D and (6)Li revealing that almost all D is produced by spallation reactions both on the surface and in the interior of the grains. In grain interiors, no evidence of chondritic water has been found. This observation allows us to constrain the H isotopic ratio of hypothetical juvenile lunar water to δD ≤ -550‰. On the grain surface, the hydroxyl concentrations are significant and the D/H ratios indicate that they originate from solar wind implantation. The scattering distribution of the data around the theoretical D vs. (6)Li spallation correlation is compatible with a chondritic contribution <15%. In conclusion, (i) solar wind implantation is the major mechanism responsible for hydroxyls on the lunar surface, and (ii) the postulated chondritic lunar water is not retained in the regolith.
Collapse
|
26
|
Anand M, Tartèse R, Barnes JJ. Understanding the origin and evolution of water in the Moon through lunar sample studies. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2014; 372:20130254. [PMID: 25114308 PMCID: PMC4128269 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2013.0254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
A paradigm shift has recently occurred in our knowledge and understanding of water in the lunar interior. This has transpired principally through continued analysis of returned lunar samples using modern analytical instrumentation. While these recent studies have undoubtedly measured indigenous water in lunar samples they have also highlighted our current limitations and some future challenges that need to be overcome in order to fully understand the origin, distribution and evolution of water in the lunar interior. Another exciting recent development in the field of lunar science has been the unambiguous detection of water or water ice on the surface of the Moon through instruments flown on a number of orbiting spacecraft missions. Considered together, sample-based studies and those from orbit strongly suggest that the Moon is not an anhydrous planetary body, as previously believed. New observations and measurements support the possibility of a wet lunar interior and the presence of distinct reservoirs of water on the lunar surface. Furthermore, an approach combining measurements of water abundance in lunar samples and its hydrogen isotopic composition has proved to be of vital importance to fingerprint and elucidate processes and source(s) involved in giving rise to the lunar water inventory. A number of sources are likely to have contributed to the water inventory of the Moon ranging from primordial water to meteorite-derived water ice through to the water formed during the reaction of solar wind hydrogen with the lunar soil. Perhaps two of the most striking findings from these recent studies are the revelation that at least some portions of the lunar interior are as water-rich as some Mid-Ocean Ridge Basalt source regions on Earth and that the water in the Earth and the Moon probably share a common origin.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mahesh Anand
- Department of Physical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK Department of Earth Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Romain Tartèse
- Department of Physical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK
| | - Jessica J Barnes
- Department of Physical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK Department of Earth Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Detection of solar wind-produced water in irradiated rims on silicate minerals. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:1732-5. [PMID: 24449869 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1320115111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The solar wind (SW), composed of predominantly ∼1-keV H(+) ions, produces amorphous rims up to ∼150 nm thick on the surfaces of minerals exposed in space. Silicates with amorphous rims are observed on interplanetary dust particles and on lunar and asteroid soil regolith grains. Implanted H(+) may react with oxygen in the minerals to form trace amounts of hydroxyl (-OH) and/or water (H2O). Previous studies have detected hydroxyl in lunar soils, but its chemical state, physical location in the soils, and source(s) are debated. If -OH or H2O is generated in rims on silicate grains, there are important implications for the origins of water in the solar system and other astrophysical environments. By exploiting the high spatial resolution of transmission electron microscopy and valence electron energy-loss spectroscopy, we detect water sealed in vesicles within amorphous rims produced by SW irradiation of silicate mineral grains on the exterior surfaces of interplanetary dust particles. Our findings establish that water is a byproduct of SW space weathering. We conclude, on the basis of the pervasiveness of the SW and silicate materials, that the production of radiolytic SW water on airless bodies is a ubiquitous process throughout the solar system.
Collapse
|
28
|
Bennett CJ, Pirim C, Orlando TM. Space-Weathering of Solar System Bodies: A Laboratory Perspective. Chem Rev 2013; 113:9086-150. [DOI: 10.1021/cr400153k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chris J. Bennett
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, 901 Atlantic Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Claire Pirim
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, 901 Atlantic Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Thomas M. Orlando
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, 901 Atlantic Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Saal AE, Hauri EH, Van Orman JA, Rutherford MJ. Hydrogen isotopes in lunar volcanic glasses and melt inclusions reveal a carbonaceous chondrite heritage. Science 2013; 340:1317-20. [PMID: 23661641 DOI: 10.1126/science.1235142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 177] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Water is perhaps the most important molecule in the solar system, and determining its origin and distribution in planetary interiors has important implications for understanding the evolution of planetary bodies. Here we report in situ measurements of the isotopic composition of hydrogen dissolved in primitive volcanic glass and olivine-hosted melt inclusions recovered from the Moon by the Apollo 15 and 17 missions. After consideration of cosmic-ray spallation and degassing processes, our results demonstrate that lunar magmatic water has an isotopic composition that is indistinguishable from that of the bulk water in carbonaceous chondrites and similar to that of terrestrial water, implying a common origin for the water contained in the interiors of Earth and the Moon.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alberto E Saal
- Department of Geological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
30
|
Mastrapa RME, Grundy WM, Gudipati MS. Amorphous and Crystalline H2O-Ice. THE SCIENCE OF SOLAR SYSTEM ICES 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4614-3076-6_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
|
31
|
Boynton WV, Droege GF, Mitrofanov IG, McClanahan TP, Sanin AB, Litvak ML, Schaffner M, Chin G, Evans LG, Garvin JB, Harshman K, Malakhov A, Milikh G, Sagdeev R, Starr R. High spatial resolution studies of epithermal neutron emission from the lunar poles: Constraints on hydrogen mobility. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012. [DOI: 10.1029/2011je003979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
|
32
|
Mitrofanov I, Litvak M, Sanin A, Malakhov A, Golovin D, Boynton W, Droege G, Chin G, Evans L, Harshman K, Fedosov F, Garvin J, Kozyrev A, McClanahan T, Milikh G, Mokrousov M, Starr R, Sagdeev R, Shevchenko V, Shvetsov V, Tret'yakov V, Trombka J, Varenikov A, Vostrukhin A. Testing polar spots of water-rich permafrost on the Moon: LEND observations onboard LRO. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012. [DOI: 10.1029/2011je003956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
|
33
|
Sanin AB, Mitrofanov IG, Litvak ML, Malakhov A, Boynton WV, Chin G, Droege G, Evans LG, Garvin J, Golovin DV, Harshman K, McClanahan TP, Mokrousov MI, Mazarico E, Milikh G, Neumann G, Sagdeev R, Smith DE, Starr RD, Zuber MT. Testing lunar permanently shadowed regions for water ice: LEND results from LRO. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012. [DOI: 10.1029/2011je003971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
|
34
|
Livengood TA, Deming LD, A'hearn MF, Charbonneau D, Hewagama T, Lisse CM, McFadden LA, Meadows VS, Robinson TD, Seager S, Wellnitz DD. Properties of an Earth-like planet orbiting a Sun-like star: Earth observed by the EPOXI mission. ASTROBIOLOGY 2011; 11:907-930. [PMID: 22077375 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2011.0614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
NASA's EPOXI mission observed the disc-integrated Earth and Moon to test techniques for reconnoitering extrasolar terrestrial planets, using the Deep Impact flyby spacecraft to observe Earth at the beginning and end of Northern Hemisphere spring, 2008, from a range of ∼1/6 to 1/3 AU. These observations furnish high-precision and high-cadence empirical photometry and spectroscopy of Earth, suitable as "ground truth" for numerically simulating realistic observational scenarios for an Earth-like exoplanet with finite signal-to-noise ratio. Earth was observed at near-equatorial sub-spacecraft latitude on 18-19 March, 28-29 May, and 4-5 June (UT), in the range of 372-4540 nm wavelength with low visible resolving power (λ/Δλ=5-13) and moderate IR resolving power (λ/Δλ=215-730). Spectrophotometry in seven filters yields light curves at ∼372-948 nm filter-averaged wavelength, modulated by Earth's rotation with peak-to-peak amplitude of ≤20%. The spatially resolved Sun glint is a minor contributor to disc-integrated reflectance. Spectroscopy at 1100-4540 nm reveals gaseous water and carbon dioxide, with minor features of molecular oxygen, methane, and nitrous oxide. One-day changes in global cloud cover resulted in differences between the light curve beginning and end of ≤5%. The light curve of a lunar transit of Earth on 29 May is color-dependent due to the Moon's red spectrum partially occulting Earth's relatively blue spectrum. The "vegetation red edge" spectral contrast observed between two long-wavelength visible/near-IR bands is ambiguous, not clearly distinguishing between the verdant Earth diluted by cloud cover versus the desolate mineral regolith of the Moon. Spectrophotometry in at least one other comparison band at short wavelength is required to distinguish between Earth-like and Moon-like surfaces in reconnaissance observations. However, measurements at 850 nm alone, the high-reflectance side of the red edge, could be sufficient to establish periodicity in the light curve and deduce Earth's diurnal period and the existence of fixed surface units.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Timothy A Livengood
- National Center for Earth and Space Science Education, Capitol Heights, Maryland, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
35
|
McCord TB, Taylor LA, Combe JP, Kramer G, Pieters CM, Sunshine JM, Clark RN. Sources and physical processes responsible for OH/H2O in the lunar soil as revealed by the Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.1029/2010je003711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
|
36
|
Siegler MA, Bills BG, Paige DA. Effects of orbital evolution on lunar ice stability. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.1029/2010je003652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
|
37
|
Stillman DE, Grimm RE. Radar penetrates only the youngest geological units on Mars. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.1029/2010je003661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
|
38
|
Teolis BD, Jones GH, Miles PF, Tokar RL, Magee BA, Waite JH, Roussos E, Young DT, Crary FJ, Coates AJ, Johnson RE, Tseng WL, Baragiola RA. Cassini Finds an Oxygen-Carbon Dioxide Atmosphere at Saturn's Icy Moon Rhea. Science 2010; 330:1813-5. [DOI: 10.1126/science.1198366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
|
39
|
Schultz PH, Hermalyn B, Colaprete A, Ennico K, Shirley M, Marshall WS. The LCROSS Cratering Experiment. Science 2010; 330:468-72. [DOI: 10.1126/science.1187454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
|
40
|
Colaprete A, Schultz P, Heldmann J, Wooden D, Shirley M, Ennico K, Hermalyn B, Marshall W, Ricco A, Elphic RC, Goldstein D, Summy D, Bart GD, Asphaug E, Korycansky D, Landis D, Sollitt L. Detection of Water in the LCROSS Ejecta Plume. Science 2010; 330:463-8. [DOI: 10.1126/science.1186986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 522] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
|
41
|
Abstract
For the past 40 years, the Moon has been described as nearly devoid of indigenous water; however, evidence for water both on the lunar surface and within the lunar interior have recently emerged, calling into question this long-standing lunar dogma. In the present study, hydroxyl (as well as fluoride and chloride) was analyzed by secondary ion mass spectrometry in apatite [Ca(5)(PO(4))(3)(F,Cl,OH)] from three different lunar samples in order to obtain quantitative constraints on the abundance of water in the lunar interior. This work confirms that hundreds to thousands of ppm water (of the structural form hydroxyl) is present in apatite from the Moon. Moreover, two of the studied samples likely had water preserved from magmatic processes, which would qualify the water as being indigenous to the Moon. The presence of hydroxyl in apatite from a number of different types of lunar rocks indicates that water may be ubiquitous within the lunar interior, potentially as early as the time of lunar formation. The water contents analyzed for the lunar apatite indicate minimum water contents of their lunar source region to range from 64 ppb to 5 ppm H(2)O. This lower limit range of water contents is at least two orders of magnitude greater than the previously reported value for the bulk Moon, and the actual source region water contents could be significantly higher.
Collapse
|
42
|
Chin JP, Megaw J, Magill CL, Nowotarski K, Williams JP, Bhaganna P, Linton M, Patterson MF, Underwood GJC, Mswaka AY, Hallsworth JE. Solutes determine the temperature windows for microbial survival and growth. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2010; 107:7835-40. [PMID: 20404182 PMCID: PMC2867857 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1000557107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial cells, and ultimately the Earth's biosphere, function within a narrow range of physicochemical conditions. For the majority of ecosystems, productivity is cold-limited, and it is microbes that represent the failure point. This study was carried out to determine if naturally occurring solutes can extend the temperature windows for activity of microorganisms. We found that substances known to disorder cellular macromolecules (chaotropes) did expand microbial growth windows, fungi preferentially accumulated chaotropic metabolites at low temperature, and chemical activities of solutes determined microbial survival at extremes of temperature as well as pressure. This information can enhance the precision of models used to predict if extraterrestrial and other hostile environments are able to support life; furthermore, chaotropes may be used to extend the growth windows for key microbes, such as saprotrophs, in cold ecosystems and man-made biomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jason P. Chin
- School of Biological Sciences, Medical Biology Centre, Queen's University, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland
| | - Julianne Megaw
- School of Biological Sciences, Medical Biology Centre, Queen's University, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland
| | - Caroline L. Magill
- School of Biological Sciences, Medical Biology Centre, Queen's University, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland
| | - Krzysztof Nowotarski
- School of Biological Sciences, Medical Biology Centre, Queen's University, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland
| | - Jim P. Williams
- School of Biological Sciences, Medical Biology Centre, Queen's University, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland
| | - Prashanth Bhaganna
- School of Biological Sciences, Medical Biology Centre, Queen's University, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland
| | - Mark Linton
- Food Microbiology Branch, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Belfast BT9 5PX, Northern Ireland; and
| | - Margaret F. Patterson
- Food Microbiology Branch, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Belfast BT9 5PX, Northern Ireland; and
| | - Graham J. C. Underwood
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester CO4 3SQ, United Kingdom
| | - Allen Y. Mswaka
- School of Biological Sciences, Medical Biology Centre, Queen's University, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland
| | - John E. Hallsworth
- School of Biological Sciences, Medical Biology Centre, Queen's University, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Affiliation(s)
- Paul G. Lucey
- Hawaii Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawaii, 1680 East West Road, POST 504, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Pieters CM, Goswami JN, Clark RN, Annadurai M, Boardman J, Buratti B, Combe JP, Dyar MD, Green R, Head JW, Hibbitts C, Hicks M, Isaacson P, Klima R, Kramer G, Kumar S, Livo E, Lundeen S, Malaret E, McCord T, Mustard J, Nettles J, Petro N, Runyon C, Staid M, Sunshine J, Taylor LA, Tompkins S, Varanasi P. Character and Spatial Distribution of OH/H2O on the Surface of the Moon Seen by M3 on Chandrayaan-1. Science 2009; 326:568-72. [DOI: 10.1126/science.1178658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 497] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
|
45
|
Abstract
Data from the Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) on Cassini during its flyby of the Moon in 1999 show a broad absorption at 3 micrometers due to adsorbed water and near 2.8 micrometers attributed to hydroxyl in the sunlit surface on the Moon. The amounts of water indicated in the spectra depend on the type of mixing and the grain sizes in the rocks and soils but could be 10 to 1000 parts per million and locally higher. Water in the polar regions may be water that has migrated to the colder environments there. Trace hydroxyl is observed in the anorthositic highlands at lower latitudes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roger N Clark
- U.S. Geological Survey, Mail Stop 964, Box 25046 Federal Center, Denver, CO 80227, USA.
| |
Collapse
|