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The hypothetical mechanism of water transport / trapping (if any) remains unknown: indeed lunar surfaces directly exposed to the solar wind where water production occurs are too hot to allow trapping by water condensation (and solar radiation also continuously decomposes water), while no (or much less) water production is expected in the cold ...
Lunar Trailblazer is a planned small (class D) lunar orbiter, part of NASA's SIMPLEx program, that will detect and map water on the lunar surface to determine how its form, abundance, and location relate to geology. [3] Its mission is to aid in the understanding of lunar water and the Moon's water cycle.
Lunar south polar region map (>80°S) Degree of the slopes found within 15 degrees of the south pole of the Moon Orbiters from several countries have explored the region around the lunar south pole. Extensive studies were conducted by the Lunar Orbiters , Clementine , Lunar Prospector , Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter , Kaguya , and Chandrayaan-1 ...
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This integrated solar irradiance is called solar irradiation, solar radiation, solar exposure, solar insolation, or insolation. Irradiance may be measured in space or at the Earth's surface after atmospheric absorption and scattering. Irradiance in space is a function of distance from the Sun, the solar cycle, and cross-cycle changes. [2]
The location would promote self-sustainability for lunar residents, as perpetual sunlight on the south pole would provide energy for solar panels. Furthermore, the shadowed polar regions are believed to contain the frozen water necessary for human consumption and could also be harvested for fuel manufacture. [ 26 ]
Several processes can explain the presence of trace gases on the Moon: high energy photons or solar winds reacting with materials on the lunar surface, evaporation of lunar regolith, material deposits from comets and meteoroids, and out-gassing from inside the Moon. However, these are trace gases in very low concentration. [17]
From the lunar science perspective, understanding the water cycle on the Moon is critical to mapping and exploitation. [20] Solar wind protons can chemically reduce the abundant iron oxides present the lunar soil, producing native metal iron (Fe 0) and a hydroxyl ion (OH −) that can readily capture a proton to form water (H 2 O). Hydroxyl and ...