Beijing: Chinese scientists studying soil samples from the moon, brought back by the Chang’e-5 mission, have discovered water molecules, according to the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). This groundbreaking research was conducted by researchers from the Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics and the Institute of Physics of CAS, along with other domestic institutions. The findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Astronomy on July 16, as reported by the South China Morning Post.
Key Discoveries and Findings
Based on lunar soil samples returned by the Chang’e-5 mission in 2020, Chinese scientists identified a hydrated mineral “enriched” with molecular water.
In 2009, India’s Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft detected signs of hydrated minerals on the moon, confirmed by NASA’s Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3). In 2020, NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy found water molecules in the Clavius crater on the moon’s sunlit surface.
Chinese research team isolated over 1,000 mineral “clasts” from the lunar soil. Among these was a platelike transparent crystal, dubbed “unknown lunar mineral” (ULM-1), which contained water molecules.
Researchers ruled out terrestrial contamination or rocket exhaust as sources of the water-bearing mineral. A geochemist not associated with the study suggested that if this mineral is present, multiple samples should confirm its presence.
Significance and Future Prospects
The Chang’e-5 mission marked China’s first lunar sample-return mission, providing the first on-site evidence of water on the moon’s surface.
More findings are anticipated following the return of China’s Chang’e-6 mission, which brought back up to 2kg of material from the moon’s oldest basin on its far side.
“China’s Chang’e-5 mission in 2020 initiated a new phase of in-depth studies on lunar samples after a 44-year hiatus, advancing our understanding of the moon’s evolution,” said Li Xianhua, an academician of CAS.
Limitations and Future Research
Despite significant advancements, all ten lunar sampling missions, including Chang’e-5, have taken place on the moon’s near side. This has limited the comprehensive scientific understanding of the entire moon, as noted by Li Xianhua in the state-run Xinhua news agency.
The discovery of water molecules in lunar soil opens new avenues for understanding the moon’s evolution and the potential for future lunar exploration and utilization.
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