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By European Space Agency
Week in images: 30 September - 04 October 2024
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By NASA
5 min read
NASA’s LRO: Lunar Ice Deposits are Widespread
Deposits of ice in lunar dust and rock (regolith) are more extensive than previously thought, according to a new analysis of data from NASA’s LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) mission. Ice would be a valuable resource for future lunar expeditions. Water could be used for radiation protection and supporting human explorers, or broken into its hydrogen and oxygen components to make rocket fuel, energy, and breathable air.
Prior studies found signs of ice in the larger permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) near the lunar South Pole, including areas within Cabeus, Haworth, Shoemaker and Faustini craters. In the new work, “We find that there is widespread evidence of water ice within PSRs outside the South Pole, towards at least 77 degrees south latitude,” said Dr. Timothy P. McClanahan of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and lead author of a paper on this research published October 2 in the Planetary Science Journal.
The study further aids lunar mission planners by providing maps and identifying the surface characteristics that show where ice is likely and less likely to be found, with evidence for why that should be. “Our model and analysis show that greatest ice concentrations are expected to occur near the PSRs’ coldest locations below 75 Kelvin (-198°C or -325°F) and near the base of the PSRs’ poleward-facing slopes,” said McClanahan.
This illustration shows the distribution of permanently shadowed regions (in blue) on the Moon poleward of 80 degrees South latitude. They are superimposed on a digital elevation map of the lunar surface (grey) from the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter instrument on board NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft. NASA/GSFC/Timothy P. McClanahan “We can’t accurately determine the volume of the PSRs’ ice deposits or identify if they might be buried under a dry layer of regolith. However, we expect that for each surface 1.2 square yards (square meter) residing over these deposits there should be at least about five more quarts (five more liters) of ice within the surface top 3.3 feet (meter), as compared to their surrounding areas,” said McClanahan. The study also mapped where fewer, smaller, or lower-concentration ice deposits would be expected, occurring primarily towards warmer, periodically illuminated areas.
Ice could become implanted in lunar regolith through comet and meteor impacts, released as vapor (gas) from the lunar interior, or be formed by chemical reactions between hydrogen in the solar wind and oxygen in the regolith. PSRs typically occur in topographic depressions near the lunar poles. Because of the low Sun angle, these areas haven’t seen sunlight for up to billions of years, so are perpetually in extreme cold. Ice molecules are thought to be repeatedly dislodged from the regolith by meteorites, space radiation, or sunlight and travel across the lunar surface until they land in a PSR where they are entrapped by extreme cold. The PSR’s continuously cold surfaces can preserve ice molecules near the surface for perhaps billions of years, where they may accumulate into a deposit that is rich enough to mine. Ice is thought to be quickly lost on surfaces that are exposed to direct sunlight, which precludes their accumulations.
The team used LRO’s Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector (LEND) instrument to detect signs of ice deposits by measuring moderate-energy, “epithermal” neutrons. Specifically, the team used LEND’s Collimated Sensor for Epithermal Neutrons (CSETN) that has a fixed 18.6-mile (30-kilometer) diameter field-of-view. Neutrons are created by high-energy galactic cosmic rays that come from powerful deep-space events such as exploding stars, that impact the lunar surface, break up regolith atoms, and scatter subatomic particles called neutrons. The neutrons, which can originate from up to about a 3.3-foot (meter’s) depth, ping-pong their way through the regolith, running into other atoms. Some get directed into space, where they can be detected by LEND. Since hydrogen is about the same mass as a neutron, a collision with hydrogen causes the neutron to lose relatively more energy than a collision with most common regolith elements. So, where hydrogen is present in regolith, its concentration creates a corresponding reduction in the observed number of moderate-energy neutrons.
“We hypothesized that if all PSRs have the same hydrogen concentration, then CSETN should proportionally detect their hydrogen concentrations as a function of their areas. So, more hydrogen should be observed towards the larger-area PSRs,” said McClanahan.
The model was developed from a theoretical study that demonstrated how similarly hydrogen-enhanced PSRs would be detected by CSETNs fixed-area field-of-view. The correlation was demonstrated using the neutron emissions from 502 PSRs with areas ranging from 1.5 square miles (4 km2) to 417 square miles (1079 km2) that contrasted against their surrounding less hydrogen-enhanced areas. The correlation was expectedly weak for the small PSRs but increased towards the larger-area PSRs.
The research was sponsored by the LRO project science team, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center’s Artificial Intelligence Working Group, and NASA grant award number 80GSFC21M0002. The study was conducted using NASA’s LRO Diviner radiometer and Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter instruments. The LEND instrument was developed by the Russian Space Agency, Roscosmos by its Space Research Institute (IKI). LEND was integrated to the LRO spacecraft at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. LRO is managed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
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Last Updated Oct 03, 2024 Editor wasteigerwald Contact wasteigerwald william.a.steigerwald@nasa.gov Location Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms
Earth’s Moon Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Uncategorized Explore More
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By NASA
To shape NASA’s path of exploration forward, Dr. Gioia Rau unravels stars and worlds beyond our solar system.
Name: Dr. Gioia Rau
Title: Astrophysicist
Organization: Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics Laboratory, Astrophysics Division, Science Mission Directorate (Code 667)
Dr. Gioia Rau is an astrophysicist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.Photo courtesy of Gioia Rau What do you do and what is most interesting about your role here at Goddard?
I’m an astrophysicist who studies both evolved stars, stars that about to die, and exoplanets, planets outside our solar system. I study the stars that once held the elements that are in our body, such as calcium. I also lead the science part of several mission concept studies. And I am really passionate about strategic thinking.
How does it feel to achieve your childhood dream of becoming an astrophysicist at NASA?
I am from Italy. Growing up, I was always fascinated by NASA. As a child, I watched the shuttle launches. I loved everything about stars, planets, and galaxies. I devoured astronomy books. I always knew that I wanted to study astrophysics.
Around 10 years old, I wrote a letter to NASA saying that I wanted to become an astrophysicist to study the universe. NASA sent me information and encouraged me to study and work hard. So I did.
I still remember my first day working at NASA. I looked around with so much joy at my dream coming true. Every day that I work at Goddard, I find more passion to continue pursue my dreams.
What is your educational background?
In 2009, I earned a Bachelor of Science in physics from the University of Rome, La Sapienza. In 2011, I obtained a master’s in physics and astrophysics there. Also in 2011, I was awarded a very competitive fellowship to do a master’s thesis at the California Institute of Technology and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab thanks to my high GPA. In 2016, I earned a Ph.D. in astrophysics from the University of Vienna. I came to Goddard in 2017 when I obtained a NASA post-doctoral fellowship.
Why do you study evolved stars?
Evolved stars are the future of our own Sun, which in about 5 billion years will die. Evolved stars also produce elements found in our own bodies, as, for example, the calcium in our bones, the iron in our blood, and the gold in our rings. The stardust that I study is spread by the stellar winds into the interstellar medium to form new generation of stars and planets, and contribute to the cosmic recycle of matter in the universe.
As Carl Sagan said, “We are all made of stardust.”
What is most interesting about studying exoplanets?
If we discover an exoplanet within the habitable zone of its star, we increase the likelihood of finding a planet with Earth-like conditions. This can enhance our understanding of planetary formation processes, and help determine if these exoplanets may harbor life through studying their atmospheres.
My team of students and scientists used Artificial Intelligence techniques to discover new exoplanet candidates. They are called candidates because they need to be confirmed through follow-up observations. It was a very exciting, pioneering project using cutting-edge techniques.
Why is working on mission concepts important to you?
Mission concepts represent the future of space exploration, and I lead the science team of multiple mission concepts. By working on these pioneering projects, we as teams are actively shaping the future of NASA, and advancing the field of astrophysics. I am grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with so many brilliant scientists and engineers. I am passionate about strategic thinking and the visionary process behind it to shape the future of science and of organizations alike. I thrive on seeing the big picture and contributing to initiative that shape the future of organizations and people alike.
Why do you love mentoring?
I love working with students. It is gratifying to teach them and fuel their passions and also, again, working with the next generation helps shape NASA’s future. I tell the students what I firmly believe: that resilience, grit, passion, and hard work are some of the most important qualities in a scientist. That integrity, humility, and flexibility are great values to honor as a scientist. And I tell them not to be afraid of trying something new. After all, failure is part of being a scientist. Doing science is about learning from failures, to be successful. As scientists, we follow the scientific method to test our hypotheses through experiments. Ninety-nine percent of the time that experiment does not work the first time. So we need to keep refining the experiment until it does work. I also tell my students to keep in focus their goal, and work very hard toward it: make a plan and stick to it.
What is your message when you do outreach?
I started doing outreach when I was in college. I have since done hundreds of outreach events; I am passionate about sharing the joy of astrophysics, and my passion for it, with the general public! When I do outreach, my goal is to make the Universe accessible to the public: the Cosmos belongs to all of us, and we can all enjoy the beauty and wanders of the Universe, together. I aim to build connections that bridge the gap between science and the public, working together to deepen our understanding of the Universe and inspire the next generation of scientists. I also remind the audience that behind every success there are a multitude of failures that led to that success. I tell them why I am passionate about science and how I became an astrophysicist at NASA. Engaging with people makes science more accessible and relatable. Outreach inspires the next generation to become scientists.
Who is your science hero?
Hypatia. She was an astronomer and a philosopher who lived in ancient Greece. At that time, scientists were also philosophers, and I love philosophy. She was martyred because her views were considered to be against the established way of thinking. She was a martyr for freedom of thought.
Do you have a phrase that you live by?
Keep on dreaming, and work hard toward your goals; ad astra per aspera!
Who do you wish to thank?
My father and my mother, and my current family: my husband who is my biggest supporter and fan, and my kids for the joy they bring. I also would like to thank all my mentors along the way. They always believed in me and guided me on my path.
What do you do for fun?
I love playing volleyball, skiing, reading, taking photos, playing the piano and the guitar, hiking, sailing, baking, and of course being with my family.
What is your “six-word memoir”? A six-word memoir describes something in just six words.
Unraveling mysteries, shaping futures, inspiring paths.
Conversations With Goddard is a collection of Q&A profiles highlighting the breadth and depth of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center’s talented and diverse workforce. The Conversations have been published twice a month on average since May 2011. Read past editions on Goddard’s “Our People” webpage.
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Last Updated Oct 01, 2024 EditorMadison OlsonContactRob Garnerrob.garner@nasa.govLocationGoddard Space Flight Center Related Terms
People of Goddard Goddard Space Flight Center People of NASA Explore More
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By European Space Agency
Week in images: 23-27 September 2024
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