Exploring, sampling, and interpreting lunar volatiles in polar cold traps

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Shearer, Charles K.; Sharp, Zachary D.; Stopar, Julie
• 署名单位: University of New Mexico; University of New Mexico; Universities Space Research Association (USRA)
• 刊物名称: PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0027-12512
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2321071121
• 发表日期: 2024-12-24
• 关键词: solar-wind; water ice; monte-carlo; moon; hydrogen; surface; sublimation; regions; origin; SYSTEM

摘要

Numerous missions to the Moon have identified and documented volatile deposits associated with permanently shadowed regions. A series of science goals for the Artemis Program is to explore these volatile deposits and return samples to Earth. Volatiles in these reservoirs may consist of a variety of species whose stable isotope characteristics could elucidate both their sources and the processes instrumental in their formation. For example, the delta D of potential contributors to the deposits can be used to identify a uniquely light solar wind component. Because of the exceptionally low temperatures of these volatile deposits, examining and interpreting their stable isotope systems to fulfill Artemis science goals through sampling, preserving, curating, and analyzing these samples are far more difficult than for other sample return missions. Collecting and preserving the samples at cryogenic temperatures dramatically increases science yield but is technologically demanding and poses increased risk during transport.