It really wouldn’t be easy for humans to establish a settlement there. MoonBut new discoveries could alleviate some of the problems.
Analysis of radar data suggests that gaping holes in the Moon’s crust could lead to a network of caves that future lunar explorers could use as shelters.Skylight“Its presence on the surface of the moon has been suggested for some time, but we finally have evidence of its existence.”
“These caves have been suspected to exist for over 50 years, but this is the first time their existence has been proven.” Astronomer Lorenzo Bruzzone says: of the University of Trento, Italy.
The lunar environment is very different from the one we evolved in and is not very friendly to human physiology. For one thing, there is no breathable atmosphere. And then there is the temperature. A lunar day lasts about 14 days, as well as nights. During the day, temperature Temperatures can reach as high as 121 degrees Celsius (250 degrees Fahrenheit), but drop to -133 degrees Celsius (-208 degrees Fahrenheit) after sunset.
Not to mention radiation from the sun and space. The Earth’s atmosphere protects us from the worst of the radiation. The Moon Radiation Environment It is considered harmful to human health.
This is how lava tubes are born. Lava tubes form when lava solidifies on the Earth’s surface but continues to flow underneath. Eventually, the underground lava flow flows away, leaving a cavity beneath the solidified volcanic rock layers. This is a natural cave.
It can occur anywhere there has been volcanic activity. On Earth,They are Discovered on MarsAnd it is believed that there is an entire network on the Moon.
These lunar lava tubes are of great interest to scientists planning lunar exploration missions. Human Moon Base The purpose is to provide protection from the harsh surface environment, but it’s a bit difficult to reliably identify cave systems among the holes in the lunar surface.
Now, a research team led by astronomer Leonardo Carrel of the University of Trento says they have finally made such a discovery.
These observations were made by NASA Lunar probeAs we flew over the basalt plains of the ancient moon, Sea of TranquilityThe rover discovered a hole in the surface of the moon, a skylight that appears when part of a lava tube collapses.
“Several years later, we reanalyzed these data using recently developed complex signal processing techniques and found radar returns from areas of the hole that could best be explained by underground cavern conduits.” Bruzone says:.
“This discovery provides the first direct evidence of accessible lava tubes beneath the Moon’s surface.”
The next step was to model the geometry of the tunnel beneath the skylight, and the researchers concluded that the best explanation for this structure was a lava tube extending from the skylight into the Moon’s interior.
You can’t land anywhere on the moon. Especially for a manned mission, the landing spot is Needs careful considerationwe I’ve already sent a human Since it won’t be able to reach the Sea of Tranquility, it probably won’t be at the top of the list for our next mission, especially since the polar regions offer some interesting features: Potential craters containing water ice.
But the discovery of one lava tube on the Moon means there are likely others yet to be discovered — and pinpointing their locations could help narrow down the best places for lunar exploration. Long-term lunar base.
“This study Planetary geologist Wes Patterson says: “Our results demonstrate how lunar radar data can be used in novel ways to answer fundamental questions in science and exploration, and how important it is to continue collecting lunar remote sensing data,” the Johns Hopkins researchers said in a statement.
This study Natural Astronomy.
