The Moon’s thin atmosphere may have been formed by a meteorite impact

Scientists say new studies of soil collected on the moon may have recreated its atmosphere Meteor strikes.

Researchers studying the Moon in the early 1970s first used instruments to confirm its atmosphere. American space agency NASA Explains The Moon’s atmosphere is „very thin and fragile.” It is considered technically „outer space.”

The newly studied soil was collected by NASA astronauts during America’s Apollo program from 1969 to 1972. As a result of these missions, the astronauts collected about 382 kilograms of rocks and soil called samples.

Instead of directly measuring the moon’s atmosphere, the investigators looked at old soil material. They considered it to be in the soil residue Material from atoms released into the lunar atmosphere over billions of years.

The research was conducted by scientists from the University of Chicago and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Their results were published recently In one study In publication Scientific advances. Nicole Nee is the lead author of the study. He is a planetary scientist at MIT.

Meteor impacts

Nie said that when meteorites strike or collide with an object like the moon, they generate extremely high temperatures. Such strikes can heat the surface to between 2,000 and 6,000 degrees Celsius. These extreme temperatures melt and Evaporate Rocks and dust and soil on the surface release atoms into the atmosphere.

Some atoms are pushed into space, while others remain just above the surface. The soil test led to the discovery that the moon’s atmosphere formed through a process called „impact evaporation,” the researchers said.

Nee and his team chose to focus on two key elements: potassium and rubidium. These materials were chosen because they are easily volatilized by meteorite impact. It involves studying the behavior of different types of isotopes found in potassium and rubidium. That study convinced the team that repeated meteorite strikes made the atmosphere.

Studies show that in the past, the moon’s atmosphere may have been formed by meteorite activity or the solar wind. The solar wind describes the continuous flow of charged particles from the Sun that spreads throughout the Solar System.

The latest study provides new evidence that much of the moon’s atmosphere may have been formed by repeated meteorite strikes over billions of years, researchers said. After testing 10 samples of lunar soil, the team concluded that much of the atmosphere was caused by meteorite activity rather than the solar wind.

„At least 70 percent of the lunar atmosphere is formed by these meteorite impacts,” Nie He said In a statement. „A very small percentage is generated by solar wind abrasion of the surface,” he added.

Nicholas Daupas is a professor of geophysical sciences at the University of Chicago. He helped lead the research. Taubas He said„The answer to this long-standing question was before us. protected In lunar soil brought back to Earth by the Apollo missions.”

Ni said understanding such processes would be valuable for planning future missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond. „If humans want to someday travel to different planetary bodies, we need to understand what’s happening on the surface.” And, „Every planetary body is different, and the more we understand about these processes, the more complete the picture we’ll have.”

I’m Brian Lynn.

Reuters, the University of Chicago and MIT reported the news. Brian Lynn adapted reports on VOA Learning English.

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The words in this story

Meteor – N. A piece of rock from space that falls on the surface of a planet

outer space – N. The outer layer of a planet’s atmosphere

residue – N. Something that remains after a large part of something has disappeared or been removed

Evaporate – V. To change or change from a solid or liquid state to a gas

Abrasion – N. The process of rubbing the surface of something

to protect – V. To keep something the same or prevent it from being damaged or destroyed