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ISRO Study Reveals Enhanced Possibility of Water Ice in Lunar Polar Craters
Context:
A study by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists has found evidence of enhanced possibility of water ice occurrence in the polar craters of the moon.
More on News:
- The study involved scientists from ISRO’s Space Applications Centre (SAC).
- It was collaborated by IIT Kanpur, University of Southern California, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and IIT (ISM) Dhanbad.
Highlights:
- Sub-surface ice in both lunar poles within the first few meters is significantly more abundant and estimated to be five to eight times greater than surface ice.
- Drilling on the moon to extract or sample this ice is crucial for future missions and establishing a sustained human presence.
- The quantity of water ice in the northern polar region is twice that found in the southern polar region.
- The findings support the hypothesis that sub-surface water ice in lunar poles originates from out-gassing during the Imbrian period of volcanic activity.
- The distribution of water ice is likely influenced by mare volcanism and preferential impact cratering.
- Accurate understanding of the distribution and depth of water ice in the lunar poles is essential for planning future missions and effectively exploring and characterizing lunar resources.
Imbrian periodThe Imbrian period refers to a specific geological era in the history of Earth’s Moon. The Imbrian period is divided into Early and Late epochs. Early & Late Imbrian Epochs:
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