See other Science/Tech Articles
Title: UT researchers discover water on the moon is widespread, similar to Earth's
Source:
[None]
URL Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-07/uota-urd072010.php
Published: Jul 22, 2010
Author: n
Post Date: 2010-07-22 07:58:58 by gengis gandhi
Keywords: None
Views: 266
Comments: 23
UT researchers discover water on the moon is widespread, similar to Earth's Researchers uncover evidence of water on the inside of the moon Researchers at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, are once again turning what scientists thought they knew about the moon on its head. Last fall, researchers, including Larry Taylor, a distinguished professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, discovered "lunar dew" on the moon's surface -- absorbed "water" in the uppermost layers of lunar soil. This discovery of water debunked beliefs held since the return of the first Apollo rocks that the moon was bone-dry. Now, scientists, including Taylor and Yang Liu, research assistant professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, have discovered that water on the moon is more widespread -- on the outside and inside of the moon -- with some similarities to water in volcanic systems on Earth. Their research will be featured in the article, "Lunar Apatite with Terrestrial Volatile Abundances" in the July 22 edition of the scientific journal, Nature. Unlike lunar dew which is believed to come from an outside source such as solar wind which brings hydrogen into contact with the Moon's oxygen, the water discovered by Taylor and Liu is internal, arising from an entirely different origin. How it got there is not yet known. The water may have been added by impacting comets, which contain ice, during or after the formation of the moon and Earth. The existence of volcanoes on the moon more than 4 billion years ago gave the researchers a clue that water might exist inside the body, since the dynamics of volcanoes on Earth are mostly driven by water. Therefore, the scientists made their novel discovery by examining a lunar basalt brought back from the 1971 Apollo 14 mission. Using secondary ion mass spectrometry at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., scientists determined volatile elements in a calcium phosphate mineral are very similar in the same mineral found on Earth. The scientists said this provides "robust evidence for the presence of water in the interior of the moon from where some lunar rocks were derived. This demonstrates a closer chemical and geologic relationship between the Earth and moon than previously known. We must now re-evaluate the volatile inventories of the moon, relative to the Earth." The finding of volatiles on the moon has deep implications for how it, and the Earth, formed. It is generally believed that the moon was created when the early Earth was hit by a Mars-sized proto-planet called Theia, melting and vaporizing itself and a large chunk of the Earth. The cloud of particles created by the impact later congealed to form the moon, which supposedly was devoid of highly volatile elements such as hydrogen and chlorine. However, the researchers' discovery of these volatiles challenges this theory. "If water in the Moon was residue water kept during the giant impact, it is surprising that water survived the impact at all because less volatile elements, such as sodium and potassium, are strongly depleted. The details of the impact theory need to be re-examined," Liu said. The discovery of abundant and ubiquitous water on the moon could mean a human settlement on the moon is not so far-fetched. Currently, the endeavour would be very expensive. For example, it costs $25,000 to take one pint of water to the moon. However, if scientists devise processes to easily recover this water from the lunar rocks for drinking water and fuel, a human settlement is not out of reach. "Now we have ready sources of water that can be consumed by plants and humans but also electrolyzed into liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to develop rocket fuel," Taylor said. "Until the recent discovery of water in and on the moon, it was going to be a very energy-intensive endeavor to separate these elements from the lunar rocks and soil." ### Taylor and Liu collaborated with George Rossman, Yunbin Guan, John Eiler and Edward Stolper at CalTech, as well as Jeremy Boyce at CalTech and the University of California, Los Angeles. Their research was funded by NASA Cosmochemistry, the National Science Foundation and the Moore Foundation for Support of the Caltech Microanalysis Center
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
#1. To: gengis gandhi (#0)
Of course water has to be on the moon now. How else are the employees of NASA going to get to keep their jobs?
God is always good!
deleted
The relationship between morality and liberty is a directly proportional one.
Water is a very simple molecule. For it to exist on the moon or any planetoids is very possible.
The latest theory on the moon is that it was formed when a mars sized protoplanet collided with the earth, and the debris from the collision formed into the moon. If that's the case, it shouldn't be very remarkable that the same material found on earth, like water, is also on the moon.
That is possible. There is still so much we don't know about our solar system. On the bright side, several nations are in the space race, even if nasa and private U.S. ventures are stopped by the corruption in D.C., man will still reach those place and learn the great truths.
Now all we need to do is determine if barley can grow in lunar soil, and if that is so, then I suspect that moon colonization will commence immediately.
"The more artificial taboos and restrictions there are in the world, the more the people are impoverished.... The more that laws and regulations are given prominence, the more thieves and robbers there will be." - Lao Tzu, 6th century BC
Send the jews there since they can't get along with the rest of mankind and they don't want to be bothered by the gentiles and they would never have to worry about war with their neighbors. Afterall, they claim they are the chosen ones!
Immanuel Velikovsky, a cheap shyster writing "Worlds in Collision" back in 1950?
"we ought to lay off the criticism" -- Pinguinite, circa 2010-05-26 22:17:22 ET
I doubt you see the shortsightedness of your statement.
There is no shortsightedness. Send them off to the moon where they won't bother anyone on planet earth ever again. Simple way to eliminate the enemy of the rest of mankind!
Simple way to eliminate the enemy of the rest of mankind! You want to hand them the rest of the universe, while we are stuck on this mud ball of a planet. That is where you are being shortsighted.
Without them here on planet earth, it just might return to the Garden of Eden. Then there would be no more federal reserve bank. Planet earth just might turn into a paradise for all the people.
I see you are shortsighted as ever. The human race on Earth is living on borrowed time, be it a super-volcano, a asteroid hitting us, or something else will cause the human race to go extinct on this Earth. Leaving only your enemies living and thriving elsewhere in space. If we want our species to continue to live, we need to find a way to colonize space and get off this rock.
You be first, OK? I will stay put. I think you have watched one too many star trek movies. Science fiction and reality are not close. I take it you still believe man walked on the moon. Water on the moon now just as they are scaling back NASA's programs? All too convenient find for those that want to keep their jobs.
God is always good!
Simp;y a pipe dream. At some point in time, and nobody knows when and the cause, there will be total destruction of this planet. How many people can be transported and at what price to another planet. A real Buck Rogers wet dream. Beyond laughable!
Right now, the price is $10,000 a pound to give something or someone into space, but given that is NASA and government's price, which is always inflated, it is probably far cheaper. I did not realize I was talking to someone so shortsighted as you. You are a fool whom would rather live in a cave, and ban innovation of any kind.
They have been talking about finding water on the moon for years. Around five years I think, since they had satellites study the polar areas of the moon, so don't give me your BS.
Go and find that cheaper price and get the jump on everyone else and head into space. I'm sure you will be missed like a toothache.
You continue to act the fool. Whether you are a fool or not, I did not care.
........and you act like a foolish jewish obama supporter who definitely doesn't have a full load of brains.
I look towards the future, while you side with Obama and his socialist jews to destroy the future.
I just noticed the CJ. Does that stand for Complete Jerk ?
No, though you comment shows that you are one.
#2. To: RickyJ (#1)
#3. To: RickyJ (#1)
Of course water has to be on the moon now. How else are the employees of NASA going to get to keep their jobs?
#4. To: PaulCJ (#3)
Water is a very simple molecule. For it to exist on the moon or any planetoids is very
possible likely.
#5. To: Pinguinite (#4)
The latest theory on the moon is that it was formed when a mars sized protoplanet collided with the earth, and the debris from the collision formed into the moon. If that's the case, it shouldn't be very remarkable that the same material found on earth, like water, is also on the moon.
#6. To: gengis gandhi (#0)
#7. To: gengis gandhi (#0)
The discovery of abundant and ubiquitous water on the moon could mean a human settlement on the moon is not so far-fetched. Currently, the endeavour would be very expensive.
#8. To: Pinguinite (#4)
The latest theory on the moon is that it was formed when a mars sized protoplanet collided with the earth, and the debris from the collision formed into the moon. If that's the case, it shouldn't be very remarkable that the same material found on earth, like water, is also on the moon.
#9. To: LACUMO (#7)
#10. To: PaulCJ (#9)
I doubt you see the shortsightedness of your statement.
#11. To: LACUMO (#10)
There is no shortsightedness. Send them off to the moon where they won't bother anyone on planet earth ever again.
#12. To: PaulCJ (#11)
You want to hand them the rest of the universe, while we are stuck on this mud ball of a planet. That is where you are being shortsighted.
#13. To: LACUMO (#12)
Without them here on planet earth, it just might return to the Garden of Eden.
#14. To: PaulCJ (#13)
(Edited)
If we want our species to continue to live, we need to find a way to colonize space and get off this rock.
#15. To: PaulCJ (#13)
If we want our species to continue to live, we need to find a way to colonize space and get off this rock.
#16. To: LACUMO (#15)
How many people can be transported and at what price to another planet.
#17. To: RickyJ (#14)
Water on the moon now just as they are scaling back NASA's programs?
#18. To: PaulCJ (#16)
Right now, the price is $10,000 a pound to give something or someone into space, but given that is NASA and government's price, which is always inflated, it is probably far cheaper.
#19. To: LACUMO (#18)
#20. To: PaulCJ (#19)
#21. To: LACUMO (#20)
........and you act like a foolish jewish obama supporter who definitely doesn't have a full load of brains.
#22. To: PaulCJ (#21)
#23. To: LACUMO (#22)
I just noticed the CJ. Does that stand for Complete Jerk ?
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest