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According to a new study published in the Journal Nature Geoscience there may be far more water on the moon than scientists previously believed.
Study authors Lior Rubanenko, Jaahnavee Venkatraman and David Paige reference prior research from the Arecibo Observatory and NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft which
found that there are cratered areas on Mercury's poles that appear shadowed from Earth. Data from the LRO probe that was intentionally crashed into the surface of Mercury (which was released from the orbiting satellite LCROSS in 2009) revealed water and ice vapor—evidence of ice deposits several meters thick in the shadowed craters. The research also showed that the ice was able to persist in the craters because they were shaded, preventing it from being decomposed by sunlight.
The treo investigated the likelihood that similar-looking areas on the moon might similarly harbor large ice deposits. Investigating more than 20,000 craters on Mercury and 12,000 on the Moon
the researchers compared their diameter-to-depth ratios to one another. In so doing, they noted that shallowing of shaded craters on Mercury was very similar to the shallowing seen with the shaded craters on the Moon. They suggest the evidence indicates that the material that is collecting in the shallowed craters on the moon is likely ice as well.
If they are correct, this would mean that the moon has millions of tons of water ice available on the surface and some very promising destinations for future missions.
Journal Reference
Lior Rubanenko et al. Thick ice deposits in shallow simple craters on the Moon and Mercury, Nature Geoscience (2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41561-019-0405-8
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Snotnose on Wednesday July 24 2019, @12:37AM (8 children)
and sell it to idiots for $40/pint?
That might pay for some useful science on the moon.
When the dust settled America realized it was saved by a porn star.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by looorg on Wednesday July 24 2019, @12:51AM (1 child)
You might have to add a couple of zeroes to the price of every bottle. But I'm sure someone would buy, drink and swear by its lunar health benefits. Water "untouched" by filthy human civilization (until we, or Coke/Pepsico/some-corp, bottled it).
(Score: 3, Touché) by darkfeline on Thursday July 25 2019, @02:15AM
Lunar health benefits such as lunacy?
Join the SDF Public Access UNIX System today!
(Score: 2) by mhajicek on Wednesday July 24 2019, @12:52AM (1 child)
If you're thirsty on the moon how much would you pay for a pint of water?
The spacelike surfaces of time foliations can have a cusp at the surface of discontinuity. - P. Hajicek
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Wednesday July 24 2019, @01:29PM
Will water cost more than air costs for breathing?
To transfer files: right-click on file, pick Copy. Unplug mouse, plug mouse into other computer. Right-click, paste.
(Score: 1, Funny) by NPC-131072 on Wednesday July 24 2019, @01:29AM (2 children)
Hey fren,
What about the risk of moon herpes? [dexerto.com]
(Score: 1) by RandomFactor on Wednesday July 24 2019, @02:21AM (1 child)
As I recall didn't someone actually test the water and find no DNA in it anyway, indicating she just filled it from the tap and didn't even give them used bathwater like promised?
So with that in mind, probably low risk for herpes moonplex.
В «Правде» нет известий, в «Известиях» нет правды
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 24 2019, @03:19AM
Sad if true. We could have had Belle Delphine clones running around forever, genetically altered to be actual pointy-eared elf sluts.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 24 2019, @03:19PM
Bottle it in moon glass. Also sell moon glass bongs with moon water filtration.