Our Moon is a strange object. The fifth largest moon in the solar system was likely formed by the collision of Earth with an unknown planet the size of Mars. Astronomers call this planet Theia, and the catastrophic collision is called the “Giant Impact” hypothesis, which occurred just 50-100 million years after the formation of the Earth. This theory of the Moon explains a lot, including the reason why it is not as dense as the Earth, and its surface is filled with craters whose names are very poetic, such as the Sea of Dreams, Rainbow Bay and Lake of Happiness. Recently, researchers from Italy and the United States discovered something interesting on the Moon – a gaping hole in the lunar crust that could lead to the formation of a network of caves that future astronauts could use as shelter. “Theories about these caves have existed for more than 50 years, but we have proven their existence for the first time,” write the authors of the scientific work.
It won't be easy for humans to create a habitat on the Moon, but a new discovery could solve a number of problems. Image: media.wired.com
Contents
- 1 Cave in the Sea of Tranquility
- 2 How it was discovered a cave?
- 3 Will people be able to live in lunar caves?
- 4 Lava Tubes and Moon Base
Cave in the Sea of Tranquility
Even though humans have been to the Moon, our celestial neighbor still holds many secrets. Luckily, one of them has just been uncovered by an international team of researchers who have proven that there are caves on the Earth's satellite. A paper recently published in the journal Nature Astronomy states that the hole leading to a cave about 45 meters wide and about 77 meters long is located in the Sea of Tranquility, and the cave is about 150 meters below the surface.
< strong>Sea of Tranquility– a large and dark spot located on the visible side of the Moon. Dark spots on the surface of the satellite are called maria (singular mah – rey). It is a very harsh environment with almost no atmosphere.
The cave is located approximately 400 kilometers from the Apollo 11 landing site. Let us remind you that within the framework of the NASA «Apollo» 12 astronauts landed on the moon, starting with Armstrong and Aldrin on July 20, 1969.
The cave, evidence of which scientists discovered, is accessible from the surface of the satellite. Image: media.globalnews.ca
The pit reported by scientists, like more than 200 others discovered on the surface of the Moon, was formed as a result of the collapse of alava tube– cavities in lava flows, elongated in the form of corridors, and most of the pits, apparently, are located on the ancient lava plains of the Moon. Some of them may also be located at the moon's south pole, where NASA astronauts are scheduled to land later this decade.
How was the cave discovered?
Moon caves remained a mystery for more than 50 years. So it was very interesting to finally prove their existence, said Leonardo Carrer and Lorenzo Bruzzone from the University of Trento.
The researchers discovered the evidence while studying data from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), originally acquired by the Miniature Radio Frequency (Mini-RF) instrument in 2010. Using new processing techniques, the team reanalyzed the data and found radar reflections that indicated the presence of a cave.
Researchers analyzed radar measurements taken by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and compared the results to lava tubes on Earth. Image: content.api.news
The most likely explanation for the observations is an empty lava tube. And although the radar data shows only the beginning of the underground cavity, there are likely many more similar places on the Moon. Rocks and other materials inside these caves, unchanged by harsh conditions on the surface over millennia, may also help scientists better understand how the Moon evolved, especially in relation to its volcanic activity.
More interesting things to come Read articles about the latest discoveries in the field of science and high technology on our channel in Yandex.Zen – articles that are not on the site are regularly published there!
Will people be able to live in lunar caves?
Although the existence of the cave is exciting in itself, it opens up great prospects for future research. The lunar surface is a very inhospitable place – the temperature on the surface of the satellite ranges from −173°C at night to +127°C at the subsolar point. And that's not to mention the intense solar radiation, which can be 150 times higher than on Earth. All this means that lunar caves could be used by astronauts for shelter.
Our research demonstrates how radar data from the Moon can be used in new ways to address fundamental questions in science, and the importance of continuing to collect lunar remote sensing data. That includes the current LRO mission and hopefully future orbital missions, said lead author Wes Patterson of the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.
The discovered cave raises hopes that there could be hundreds of places on the Moon that could accommodate future astronauts. Image: science.nasa.gov
It is also believed that some permanently shadowed craters on the Moon contain frozen water that could provide drinking water and fuel for future missions. So, according to scientists, creating habitats from scratch would be a more time-consuming and complex process, even considering the potential need to strengthen the cave walls to prevent collapse.
More on the topic: The Moon turned inside out 4.2 billion years back – how it happened
Lava tubes and the lunar base
Of particular interest to scientists, as mentioned above, are lunar lava tubes due to their potential to protect a lunar base from the harsh conditions on the surface. However, it has been difficult to clearly identify a cave system based solely on holes in the lunar surface. It is believed that lava tubes can form anywhere where volcanic activity has been observed – we have them on Earth, they have been spotted on Mars, and there are apparently entire networks on the Moon.
The pit leads to a «lava tube» – a natural channel through which molten lava previously flowed. Image: i.dailymail.co.uk
The environment on the Moon is very different from the one in which we evolved, so it is not very favorable for human physiology. Firstly, there is no atmosphere to breathe, secondly, temperature, thirdly, solar and cosmic radiation (the Moon is a radiation environment that is considered dangerous to human health).
Don't miss: Why humans haven't been able to return to the Moon since the Apollo mission
Recall that NASA hopes to develop a sustainable lunar exploration program, which will start in 2028. However, instead of heading to the Sea of Tranquility, an upcoming mission called «Artemis III» plans to land the crew near the south pole of the Moon on a SpaceX ship. As part of the program, NASA plans toestablish a base camp in the southern part of the Moon by the end of this decade.
Lunar caves can become a natural refuge for astronauts, protecting them from cosmic rays and solar radiation, as well as from micrometeorite impacts. Image: www.techopedia.com
Despite the new discovery, building a lunar base in a pit or cave is not currently part of the space agency's official plan, but the study's authors suggest it would definitely be worth considering in the future. So let's wait for news!