Moon's polar craters hide big water reserves, Isro study reveals

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The study suggests that the amount of subsurface ice in the first couple of meters is about 5 to 8 times larger than the one at the surface in both the northern and southern polar regions of the Moon.

The study also suggests that the extent of water ice in the northern polar region is twice that in the southern polar region. (Photo: Nasa)

New Delhi,UPDATED: May 1, 2024 14:21 IST

A recent study conducted by scientists from Isro's Space Applications Centre (SAC) has uncovered evidence for an enhanced possibility of water ice in the polar craters of the Moon.

The study was conducted in collaboration with researchers from IIT Kanpur, the University of Southern California, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and IIT (ISM) Dhanbad.

The study, published in the journal International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, suggests that the amount of subsurface ice in the first couple of meters is about 5 to 8 times larger than the one at the surface in both the northern and southern polar regions of the Moon.

This finding has significant implications for future lunar missions and the long-term human presence on the Moon. India's Vikram lander on the Moon as seen by Nasa's LRO. (Photo: Nasa)

The discovery of these substantial subsurface ice deposits is a game-changer for future lunar exploration. Drilling on the Moon to sample or excavate this ice will be crucial for supporting future missions and establishing a long-term human presence on the lunar surface.

Moreover, the study also suggests that the extent of water ice in the northern polar region is twice that in the southern polar region, providing valuable insights for mission planning and site selection.

The study confirms the hypothesis that the primary source of subsurface water ice in the lunar poles is outgassing during volcanism in the Imbrian period, 3.8 to 3.2 billion years ago. This period was characterized by intense volcanic activity and the formation of numerous impact basins and maria (dark, flat plains formed by ancient volcanic eruptions).

The results also conclude that the distribution of water ice is likely governed by Mare volcanism and preferential impact cratering.

The research team used seven instruments comprising radar, laser, optical, neutron spectrometer, ultra-violet spectrometer, and thermal radiometer onboard Nasa's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) to understand the origin and distribution of water ice on the Moon.

This comprehensive understanding of the occurrence of water ice in the lunar poles is crucial for supporting Isro's future in-situ volatile exploration plans on the Moon, as well as for constraining the uncertainties in selecting future landing and sampling sites for missions aimed at exploring and characterizing lunar volatiles.

T

he findings of this study build upon a previous study by SAC, ISRO, which pointed out the possibility of the presence of water ice in some of the polar craters, using the polarimetric radar data from the Chandrayaan-2 Dual-frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar instrument.

Published By:

Sibu Kumar Tripathi

Published On:

May 1, 2024