Micro Ice Traps on the Moon Hold Ancient Secrets

The Moon's axis is almost perfectly perpendicular to the ecliptic plane, meaning it lacks seasons. As a result, the floors of several large craters near the poles, some several kilometers deep, never receive sunlight. Temperatures here remain below –170 degrees Celsius, allowing any water that reached these areas in the past to remain frozen solid for billions of years. The potential for lunar water sources near the poles was first considered back in the 1960s.

For future lunar exploration and NASA's planned lunar base by 2024, sourcing water locally will be essential. Transporting the necessary amounts from Earth would be prohibitively expensive. Water is crucial for various purposes, including drinking, plant cultivation, and when split into its components, providing breathable oxygen and rocket fuel.

It's crucial to know where and how much water might be found beneath the surface. Researchers analyzing detailed 3D maps from NASA's lunar orbiter have determined that significant amounts of water could be preserved in micro ice traps ranging from 1 km to 1 cm in size. Planetologists studied surface formations and conducted thermal model calculations to reach this conclusion.

If water reached these locations over the past billions of years, it could still exist as ice today. The Moon has been bombarded by asteroids and cometary nuclei over eons, potentially supplying ample ice.

Sources:
nature.com