Data from Chandrayaan-1 indicates electrons from Earth help form water on Moon

A team of scientists led by researchers from the University of Hawaii has found that high energy electrons from the Earth may be responsible for formation of water on Moon. The scientists used remote sensing data from India's Chandrayaan-1 lunar mission.

As reported by the Press Trust of India, the scientists have found that these electrons in the Earth's plasma sheet are contributing to the weathering process on the Moon.

Weathering refers to breaking down or dissolving of rocks and minerals. Weathering normally takes place on Earth as well.

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The team's research has reportedly been published in the journal Nature Astronomy. The study says that the electrons may have helped in formation of water on the Moon.

The researchers have said that knowing the concentrations and distributions of water on the Moon is extremely important to understand formation and evolution of Moon. The study may also pave way to provide water resources for future human exploration.

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Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) Chandrayaan-1 mission played important role in discovery of water molecules on the Moon. The mission was launched in 2008 and was the first Indian lunar probe in the Chandrayaan programme.

Moon's surface is constantly bombarded by Solar Wind, a stream of high energy particles coming from the Sun. It is thought that it was because of the Solar Wind, water forms on the Moon.

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The scientists studied the water formation rate when the Moon passes through Earth's magnetotail, an area that fully shields the lunar body from the Solar Wind.

Logically, rate of water formation and weathering on Moon should drop when the Moon is passing through the magnetotail.

"When the Moon is outside of the magnetotail, the lunar surface is bombarded with solar wind. Inside the magnetotail, there are almost no solar wind protons and water formation was expected to drop to nearly zero," said Shuai Li, an assistant researcher at the university's Manoa School of Ocean. Shuai Li was quoted by PTI.

Li and co-authors of the study analysed remote sensing data collected by Chandrayaan-1 between 2008 and 2009. They assessed changes in water formation when Moon passed through Earth's magnetotail.

"To my surprise, the remote sensing observations showed that the water formation in Earth's magnetotail is almost identical to the time when the Moon was outside of the Earth's magnetotail," said Li.

"This indicates that, in the magnetotail, there may be additional formation processes or new sources of water not directly associated with the implantation of solar wind protons. In particular, radiation by high energy electrons exhibits similar effects as the solar wind protons," he explained.

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