Moon could get water from ‘wind’ in Earth’s magnetosphere: study



[ad_1]

A new study published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters reveals that the solar wind may not be the only source of water-forming ions on the moon. The researchers show that the moon’s particles with water imply that even other planets can provide water to their satellites. Water is diffused in space. It is available from the surface of Mars to the moons of Jupiter and the rings of Saturn, to comets, to asteroids and to Pluto.

The moon could get water from the “ wind ”

Water has been detected in clouds far from the solar system. Previously, it was assumed that water was incorporated into these objects during the formation of the solar system. However, over time there was evidence that water in space is widespread and much more dynamic. Various computer models have predicted that up to half of the lunar surface water is expected to evaporate and disappear in high latitude regions during the full moon period.

Read: A fascinating photo of the moon with a rainbow ring around it leaves people in awe; Pic inside

The latest analysis of hydroxyl surface / water surface maps by the Moon Mineralogy Mapper from the Chandrayaan-1 satellite revealed that lunar surface water does not disappear during this period of magnetosphere protection. Even though the Earth’s magnetic field was supposed to prevent the solar wind from reaching the moon. However, researchers later found out that this was never the case.

Read: Moon Rock, from NASA’s Apollo 17 mission, displayed in Joe Biden’s Oval Office

The researchers compared the time series of water surface maps before, during and after the transit of the magnetosphere and argued that lunar water could be replenished by fluxes of magnetospheric ions. They are called the “earth wind”. Later, the Kaguya satellite confirmed the presence of these Earth-derived ions near the moon.

THEMIS-ARTEMIS satellite observations were also used to profile the distinctive characteristics of the ions. Previous observations from the Kaguya satellite during the full moon have detected high concentrations of oxygen isotopes. These were evacuated from the earth’s ozone layer and integrated into the lunar soil. In addition, this was present with an abundance of hydrogen ions in the Earth’s exosphere.

Read: Full Moon Calendar 2021: Check Out All Full Moon Dates With Times Here

Also read: Scientists identify more than one lunar impact crater previously unrecognized by Lakh

(Image credits: PedroLastra / Instagram)



[ad_2]

Source link