Researchers from the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), along with scholars from several famous Chinese universities, discovered ULM-1, an unidentified mineral crystal enriched with water molecules and ammonium(铵) on the moon from the Chang’e-5 lunar samples, shedding new light on potential sources of water and ammonia on the moon. It is an amazing breakthrough that indicates that for the first time, molecular water has been found in lunar soil. The research results have been published in the journal Nature Astronomy, according to CCTV.
ULM-1’s chemistry and crystal structure is similar to a rare crater mineral that has been found recently on Earth. They are created on Earth when hot basalt (玄武岩) interacts with ammonia and water-rich volcanic gasses. Researchers have carried out in-depth investigations of chloride isotopes and chemicals to guarantee the accuracy of the discovery. The Cl isotopic (同位素的) composition of the mineral differs significantly from that of Earth minerals and matches that of minerals on the moon. Scientists also examined the chemical makeup of the mineral and its production circumstances.
___________________________________ The bottom line of water content in the lunar volcanic gasses, according to thermodynamic analyses, was similar to that of Ol Doinyo Lengai in Tanzania, the driest volcano on Earth. The findings therefore unveil (揭示) a complex history of lunar volcanic degassing (脱气), which is of great significance to the exploration of the moon’s evolutionary processes. Also, the discovery revealed the possibility of water molecules’ presence in the form of hydrated salts on the moon. As a result, the findings open up new possibilities for the future development and utilization of lunar resources, as the research signifies that such stable hydrated salts can be produced even in the vast sunlit regions of the moon.
Without the lunar soil samples collected by the Chang’e-5 lunar probe, the successful finding would not have been possible. The samples, which are the youngest basalts ever discovered and come from the highest latitude on Earth to date, offer new opportunities for searching for lunar water.
13980503458
13980503458
admin@qisuen.cn
