It really won’t be easy for humans to create a habitat on the moon, but the new discovery could alleviate some of the problems.
Analysis of radar data suggests that a gaping hole in the lunar crust could lead to a network of caves that future lunar explorers could use as shelter. We’ve known about holes called “skylights” on the moon’s surface for some time; now we finally have proof that they exist.
“These caves have been theorized for more than 50 years, but this is the first time we have proven their existence,” says astronomer Lorenzo Bruzzone of the University of Trento in Italy.
The environment on the moon is very different from the one we evolved in, so it is not very kind to human physiology. There is no atmosphere to breathe. And then there are the temperatures. A day on the moon lasts about 14 days, as does its night. Temperatures can reach up to 121 degrees Celsius (250 Fahrenheit) during the day, but drop to -133 degrees Celsius (-208 Fahrenheit) after sunset.
Not to mention solar and cosmic radiation. Earth’s atmosphere protects us from the worst; The moon presents a radiation environment that would be considered hazardous to human health.
Cue lava tubes. These are formed when lava solidifies on the surface while still flowing below. Eventually, the underground lava flow drains away, leaving a hollow cavity – a natural cave – beneath the now solid layer of volcanic rock.
They can occur anywhere there has been volcanic activity. We have them here on Earth, they’ve been spotted on Mars, and entire networks are thought to exist on the Moon.
These lunar lava tubes are of great interest to scientists designing lunar exploration missions because they would provide protection for a human lunar base from the harsh surface environment. However, positively identifying a cave system from holes in the lunar surface alone was a bit of a challenge.
Now, led by astronomer Leonardo Carrera of the University of Trento, a team of researchers say they have finally made such an identification.
The observations come in the form of radar data collected in 2010 by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. As he flew over an ancient lunar basalt plain called the Sea of ​​Tranquility, he spotted a hole in the moon’s surface; a skylight that appears when part of a lava tube falls in.
“A few years later, we reanalyzed this data using complex signal processing techniques that we had recently developed, and discovered radar reflections from the pit area that could best be explained by underground cave conduits,” says Bruzzone.
“This discovery provides the first direct evidence of an accessible lava tube beneath the surface of the Moon.”
The next step was modeling the shape of the tunnel under the skylight. The researchers found that the best explanation for the structure was a lava tube protruding from the skylight into the moon’s interior.
We can’t just put any old place on the moon. The landing site, especially for a manned mission, must be carefully considered. We’ve already sent people to the Sea of ​​Tranquility, so it’s unlikely to be at the top of the list for the next mission, especially since the polar regions have exciting features like craters with possible water ice.
But the discovery of one lava tube on the moon means there are likely to be more up there waiting to be discovered. And identifying where they are could help narrow down the best sites for a long-term lunar base.
“This research,” says Johns Hopkins University planetary geologist Wes Patterson, “shows how lunar radar data can be used in new ways to address fundamental questions for science and exploration, and how critical it is to continue collecting remotely sensed data.” Moon.”
The research was published in Astronomy of nature.