Hidden reserves of water ice discovered under surface of moon

Scientists from Tohoku University in Japan have found mineral called moganite in lunar meteorite that point to presence of abundant hidden reserves of water ice under the surface of the moon. The mineral discovered in a desert in northwest Africa could be potentially useful for future human exploration of moon.

Key Facts

Moganite is a crystal of silicon dioxide (SiO₂). It is known to form on earth in specific circumstances in sedimentary settings from alkaline fluids. It was so far never detected in samples of lunar rock. Researchers believe that mineral formed on surface of moon in area called Procellarum Terrane as water which was originally present in lunar dirt that had evaporated due to exposure to strong sunlight. But in the subsurface, abundant water remains in the form of ice.

Month: Current Affairs - May, 2018