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Small glass beads were found by researchers in soil samples delivered in 2020. The Earth The spacecraft of the Chinese mission Chang’e 5. The results of the study have only now been revealed: they were published in the journal Nature Geoscience.
As explained by Chinese and British scientists involved in the research, tiny beads on the Moon are formed as a result of meteorite impacts. Researchers determined how water gets into these beads and also found out what amount of water the lunar soil may contain.
What scientists have learned
The research has undoubtedly been a breakthrough in the study of our planet’s natural satellite. For Earthlings, it is particularly important because in the future, the discovered renewable water source may be needed by astronauts living on a lunar base.
Professor Hezhu Hui from Nanjing University reported that the team studied 32 randomly selected glass beads. They found that their size ranges from the width of a single hair to the width of several hairs. The water content is a tiny fraction of the glass “container”: only 0.2 percent.
These beads are formed after cosmic stones fall on the Moon and melt together with the soil. When the results of the melting cool down, glassy spheres appear, the publication reported. Daily Mail Water (H2O) is formed in them after the wind carries hydrogen (H) here. It reacts with the oxygen (O) present in the soil.
By estimating the content of beads in the rock sample (3-5 percent), the team suggested that there could be around 300 billion tons of water stored on the surface of the Moon.
Researchers believe that extracting water from shiny beads will be relatively easy. Astronauts arriving for a long mission on the Moon will likely be able to do it on their own. The thing is, when the bead is heated to more than 100 °C, water will be squeezed out, much to the delight of the Moon conquerors. They will be able to collect it using robotic devices.
Researchers plan additional studies on the “water” topic.
Science has known for many years that there is water in the form of ice on the Moon. It is stored in shaded areas at the poles of Earth’s natural satellite. However, a new discovery indicates a continuous cycle of water on the Moon.
As noted by Professor Sen Hu from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the data obtained indicates that the surface of the Moon is capable of accumulating water and releasing it into space. However, the professor and his colleagues are hoping for further research on the “water” topic. First and foremost, it is necessary to determine whether this water will be safe for drinking.
Commenting on the results of the research, Professor Lewis Dartnell from the University of Westminster confirmed that the discovery of a renewable water source will have a significant impact on future lunar missions. It is particularly important for the survival of astronauts on the Moon. Additionally, this water can also be split through electrolysis to create oxygen for breathing in the habitats of future mission participants.
Let us remember that just half a century ago, scientists discovered water in glass beads formed by lunar volcanic activity. Samples for research were brought to Earth by the rovers of the Apollo mission.
NASA plans to send a team of astronauts to the surface of the Moon by the end of 2025. They are set to reach the south pole, where permanently shadowed craters are believed to contain frozen water.
