There's frozen water on the Moon and a mysterious hidden force is likely the reason

A recent study has suggested that a mysterious hidden force is generating water on the Moon. The study published in the journal Nature on September 14 says that waves of electrons, arriving indirectly from Earth and the Sun are contributing to the formation of frozen water on the lunar surface. These electrons hit the Moon as it passes in and out of Earth's magnetotail, which the planet leaves behind as it rushes through space.

"We find that the water abundance at lunar mid-latitudes substantially increases in the dusk and dawn magnetosheath when the solar wind flux increases, yet remains nearly constant across the central magnetotail," the study said.

It added that within the magnetotail is a plasma sheet made up of highly charged electrons and ions, pulled from Earth's atmosphere and solar wind radiation from the Sun.

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"We suggest that although we have confirmed the importance of the solar wind as a major source of fast water production on the Moon, hitherto unobserved properties of the plasma sheet properties may also play an important role," the study added.

According to a report by Science Alert, planetary scientist Shuai Li from the University of Hawai'i said that 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," Professor Li added.

However, citing analysis, the report said that this was not the case. Earlier studies pointed towards hydrogen ions from solar winds generating water on the Moon, but it seems this water is still forming when the lunar surface is protected from solar winds, inside the magnetotail.

"In the magnetotail, there may be additional formation processes or new sources of water not directly associated with the implantation of solar wind protons," Li further said.

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