Chang'e-5 lunar soil study reveals that solar wind brings available water to the moon.

Thanks to CTOnews.com netizen Brother Black fly's left hand clue delivery! CTOnews.com, December 14, according to the Institute of Geology and Earth, Chinese Academy of Sciences, the source and distribution of lunar surface water has always been a hot issue of international debate and research. In recent years, remote sensing spectral data have found that the content of lunar surface water (OH / H2O) may be positively correlated with latitude, indicating that lunar surface water is formed by high-speed implantation of H ions emitted by the solar wind into the lunar surface.

In view of the important scientific issues such as the content, origin and spatial distribution of lunar surface water, the joint team of the National Space Science Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Geology and Geophysics carried out an experimental study on Chang'e-5 lunar soil samples.

Seventeen particles, including silicate minerals (olivine, pyroxene, feldspar) and glass, were selected from the lunar soil by the joint team of Institute of Geology and Earth, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The H content, isotope and microstructure of lunar soil particles were analyzed by nano-ion probe-transmission electron microscope. The results show that the outermost layer (~ 100nm) of Chang'e No. 5 lunar soil grain has a very high H content (meaning high water content) and a very low D / H isotope ratio, which proves that it comes from the sun. According to the measured H content and the particle size distribution of lunar soil samples, the estimated source water of solar wind in Chang'e-5 landing area is 46ppm, which is consistent with the results of remote sensing.

The team selected some of the characteristic particles and heated them in a 180 ℃ oven for 28 hours, then analyzed them with a nano-ion probe. The results of heating analysis show that the H injected by solar wind can be stably preserved on the surface of the particles. Based on the results of heating experiments, the research team carried out a numerical simulation of the preservation of H in lunar soil particles at different temperatures. The results show that solar eolian water can be well preserved in the middle and high latitudes of the lunar surface.