Lunar Droplets - What happened to our Moon's Water?

Ever since humans acknowledged the universe, we have been very much fascinated by the moon, and have made numerous attempts to find the possibility of life on it. When man first landed on the lunar surface 40 years ago, his first action was to find the possibility of presence of water on the moon.  

Video Credits: Fraser Cain

Over the time, scientists have argued whether the moon harbor water or not! It was believed that the surface of the moon is born dry, but recent studies shows that there is presence of water on moon in significant amount confirmed by not one but multiple space crafts.

Earlier Studies

When the Apollo astronauts came back to the earth they brought back some samples of lunar rocks to analyse for signs of water bound to the minerals in the rocks. Some traces of water were detected but they were assumed to be contamination from earth as the containers in which they were brought back, were leaked. 

It means the water that was detected in the lunar rocks was actually water from earth’s atmosphere that got into the rocks when the air entered the leaked containers. The isotopes of oxygen that were detected in the rock samples were same as the isotopes found here on earth. 

So it was difficult to tell whether it was the traces of water from moon or earth itself.

Discovery Of Water:

Chandrayan-1

The significant finding of presence of water on moon was first confirmed by Chandrayan 1 (India’s first ever moon-probe) was made for studying and mapping the lunar surface. On November 14, 2008 when it was collecting the data from lunar surface, it’s M3 (Moon Mineralogy Mapper) detected some wavelength of light being reflected off from the surface of the moon. 

This meant there was something on the moon made by the bonding between hydrogen and oxygen. But the problem was that M3 could only penetrate up to some millimetres into the lunar atmosphere whereas the signals were detected much nearer to the surface. 

M3’s observations also showed that the signals were strongest towards the polar region. The scientists believed the water to be trapped in solid form as the moon’s gravity was not strong enough to be able to hold the water in liquid form.

Cassini Spacecraft

After Chandrayan, the presence of water was 2nd time confirmed by NASA’s Cassini space craft when it passed by the moon in 1999 on its way to Saturn. The data provided by Cassini also showed detection of water/hydroxyl signal on the lunar surface and yet again the signals were strongest towards the polar region.Images Of Water Captured By Chandrayaan-1

Deep Impact Space craft

After the confirmation by Cassini, NASA’s Deep Impact Space craft, on the request of Chandrayan’s M3 team made infrared detection for presence of water and hydroxyl on the moon’s surface. In Deep Impact Space craft’s findings also, the Polar Regions showed the strongest signals.

To confirm the presence of water even more, NASA crashed one of its satellite named Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite(LCROSS) into the permanently shadowed region in the north pole of moon on Oct. 9, 2009. The impact created by LCROSS created a to part plum of materials from the bottom of the permanently shadowed crater.

"According to NASA scientists, this plum has not seen sunlight in billions of years."

 

"Lunar Water and its origin - A mystery" covers the origin of water on moon

Indeed moon is the future of space exploration and space civilization. We already have found water on moon which is an essential ingredient for life. Scientists are searching for ways for mining the moon for water so that they could establish colonies there. In future, space science will advance more and contribute for solving deep secrets of universe and will continue to surprise us with its wonders…