In the desert in Northwest Africa, scientists have found a lunar meteorite contains compelling evidence of hidden water on the moon. According to researchers, who have studied the meteorite, on our natural satellite of its reserves could be even so that’s enough to ensure the future of the colony. About his discovery, scientists have shared in the journal Science.
Analyzing discovered a meteorite, scientists from Tohoku University (Japan) has identified the presence in its composition of moganite — mineral for the formation of which requires water. The researchers note that this is the first discovery of this mineral in a lunar rock.
“Moganite (SiO2) is widely distributed in the mineral composition of small bodies of silica and may be a derivative of quartz. On Earth it is formed as a precipitate when the alkaline water, which contains SiO2, abruptly evaporates under intense pressure,” says lead researcher Masahiro Kayama.
“The presence of moganite very strongly suggests that the moon has water activity,” adds the scientist.
For a long time, scientists believed that the Moon is completely devoid of water. It is possible for the surface this statement is true, however, the conclusions of some studies say that our natural satellite still there are reserves of water – ice lurking under all that dry lunar surface.
In the scientific community, the debate continues about where the water may be. Some studies suggest that it is concentrated around the poles of the satellite. In other, more recent, says that its reserves can be distributed much wider. Detection of moganite is the first evidence that the ice on the moon, most likely, is somewhere in the middle and low latitudes of the satellite.
Using the e-microsporia, researchers analyzed the chemical composition of the 13 lunar meteorites, all of which was discovered in Northwest Africa. Then, using microscopy, Raman scattering within each analyzed object, the researchers discovered a special mineral structure. The presence of moganite it was identified only in one sample, which may indicate that the mineral was not formed after the stone reached the Earth.
“If the earth’s water is made moganite in the lunar meteorite, the same moganite would be present in all available samples of meteorites that fell to Earth. But that we have not seen,” says Kayama.
According to scientists, this mineral was formed through the evaporation of water from the surface of the moon in the region of the Procellarum KREEP terrane. This area is famous for the fact that it often acts in direct sunlight. If this theory is correct, it means that below the surface of the moon (in particular the region of the satellite) can hide the water supply, protected against direct sunlight and as a consequence of evaporation.
“The first time we can provide direct evidence of the presence of water ice in the lunar mineral. In moganite traces of water less because moganite is formed under the influence of evaporation. But this observation is true only for the surface minerals. If to speak about the bowels, the more water can remain there in the form of ice, because ice is protected from exposure to direct sunlight.”
Scientists have even calculated approximately how much water can be contained in the lunar soil. It turned out that water can be up to 0.6% of the mass of the satellite, which, according to Camy, would be sufficient to ensure that future explorers and colonizers of the moon could extract up to 6 litres of water from 1 cubic meter of rock. If the calculations of scientists are correct, it will completely solve the question of the necessity of providing water for future lunar colonies.
Unfortunately, confirm it with the available images of the lunar meteorites is not possible. So the last thing was said, will remain a hypothesis until then, until people return to the moon to conduct new research.
Fortunately, in development there are several new missions. The Japanese aerospace exploration Agency has announced two lunar missions, the purpose of which is to find sources of water and return to Earth samples of lunar soil from the opposite (far) side of the satellite.
Obtained more convincing evidence of the presence of water on the moon
Nikolai Khizhnyak