There May Be More Ice Deposits on the Moon Than Previously Thought

Recent analyses of NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) data reveal widespread lunar ice deposits, significantly more extensive than previously believed. This discovery, led by Dr. Timothy P. McClanahan from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and published in the Planetary Science Journal, highlights the potential of moon ice as a valuable resource for future lunar expeditions. This ice can provide radiation protection, fuel, energy, and breathable air. This is prepared by SSP.

Research indicates that permanently shadowed regions (PSRs), primarily beyond the lunar South Pole and down to at least 77 degrees south latitude, harbor significant ice concentrations. These regions, typically found in topographic depressions near the lunar poles, have remained out of sunlight for billions of years due to the low Sun angle, resulting in perpetual extreme cold. This environment preserves dislodged ice molecules, which are delivered by comet and meteor impacts, released as vapor from beneath the moon's surface, or through chemical interactions of solar wind hydrogen with regolith oxygen.

In the project's findings, it was identified that the highest ice concentrations exist near the PSRs' coldest points, below 75 Kelvin, especially at the base of poleward-facing slopes. Although the volume of ice deposits or the presence of dry regolith layers above them remains uncertain, studies suggest that at least five liters of ice could be found per square meter within the top meter in certain regions, which is significantly more than the surrounding areas.

The detection method involved using LRO's Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector (LEND), particularly its Collimated Sensor for Epithermal Neutrons (CSETN). This instrument measures moderate-energy neutrons formed by cosmic rays impacting the lunar surface, which, when reduced by recycled subatomic particles from regolith interactions, indicate hydrogen presence. The hypothesis was confirmed that larger PSRs correlate with increased hydrogen detection..