Year: 2016
Type: article
Abstract: The Apollo-derived tenet of an anhydrous Moon has been contested following measurement of water in several lunar samples that require water to be present in the lunar interior. However, significant uncertainties exist regarding the flux, sources and timing of water delivery to the Moon. Here we address those fundamental issues by constraining the mass of water accreted to the Moon and modelling the relative proportions of asteroidal and cometary sources for water that are consistent with measured isotopic compositions of lunar samples. We determine that a combination of carbonaceous chondrite-type materials were responsible for the majority of water (and nitrogen) delivered to the Earth-Moon system. Crucially, we conclude that comets containing water enriched in deuterium contributed significantly <20% of the water in the Moon. Therefore, our work places important constraints on the types of objects impacting the Moon ∼4.5-4.3 billion years ago and on the origin of water in the inner Solar System.
Source: Nature Communications
DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11684
Institutions: The Open University, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Institut de minéralogie, de physique des matériaux et de cosmochimie, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Natural History Museum
Language: English
Topic: Astro and Planetary Science
Subfield: Space and Planetary Science
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $6,990
Awards: FPDS BASE DESCRIPTION MULTIPLE YEAR AWARD&INCREMENTAL FUNDING FOR YEARS ONE TO FIVE. THIS PROPOSAL IS ENTITLED "INNER SOLAR SYSTEM IMPACT PROCESSES: AN INTEGRATED ANALYSIS USING EXTRATERRESTRIAL SAMPLES ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATIONS AND MODELING." THIS IS AWARDED IN RESPONSE TO COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT NOTICE (CAN) NO. NNH13ZDA006C SOLAR SYSTEM EXPLORATION RESEARCH VIRTUAL INSTITUTE (SSERVI) CYCLE TWO. THE PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR IS DR. DAVID A. KRING WITH UNIVERSITIES SPACE RESEARCH ASSOCIATION (USRA). PROJECT SUMMARY: LUNAR SAMPLES AND METEORITIC SAMPLES OF NEAR-EARTH ASTEROIDS WILL BE ANALYZED TO BETTER ADDRESS THE COLLISIONAL EVOLUTION OF THE INNER SOLAR SYSTEM RANGING IN THE TIME FROM THE EARLIEST STAGES OF PLANETARY ACCRETION TO THE PROCESSES THAT CREATED THE SURFACES WE SEE TODAY. THESE DATA WILL PROVIDE THE FUEL TO CATALYZE AND CONSTRAIN MAJOR SOLAR SYSTEM HYPOTHESES LIKE THE INNER SOLAR SYSTEM IMPACT CATACLYSM&ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE ORBITAL EVOLUTION OF OUTER SOLAR SYSTEM PLANETS. SAMPLE ANALYSES WILL BE INTEGRATED WITH ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATIONS OF NEAR-EARTH ASTEROIDS AND A GEOLOGIC ASSESSMENT OF THEIR SURFACES. MODELS OF ASTEROIDS&THE IMPACTS THEY PRODUCE WILL THEN BE USED TO DETERMINE THE HISTORICAL FLUX OF IMPACT EVENTS THEIR CONSEQUENCES &POTENTIAL FUTURE HAZARDS. LPI&JSC ARE LEADING A TEAM THAT WILL HELP GROW AN INTEGRATED SCIENCE&EXPLORATION COMMUNITY THROUGH COLLABORATIONS WITH RESEARCHERS AT SEVERAL INSTITUTIONS. THE RESEARCH PROVIDES THE FOUNDATION FOR A RICH TRAINING EDUCATIONAL&PUBLIC OUTREACH (E/PO) PROGRAM. THE TEAM WILL WORK WITH A CONSORTIUM OF NATIONALLY-DISTRIBUTED UNIVERSITIES AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES INCLUDING SEVERAL MINORITY-SERVING INSTITUTIONS TO INCREASE EXPOSURE OF UNDERGRADUATE&GRADUATE STUDENTS TO SPACE SCIENCE&EXPLORATION. WE WILL EXPAND OUR CURRENT SUITE OF LUNAR E/PO PROGRAMS TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL LUNAR AND NEAR-EARTH ASTEROID SCIENCE EXPERIENCES FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TRAVELING EXHIBITS FOR LIBRARIES AND MUSEUMS AN ON-LINE GALLERY OF SOLAR SYSTEM IMAGES AND A PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WEBSITE. ALL OF THESE ACTIVITIES ARE DESIGNED WITH AN INTERFACE BETWEEN THE SCIENCE&EXPLORATION COMMUNITIES&WILL DEVELOP CONTENT THAT CAN BE USED TO DEVELOP FUTURE ROBOTIC&HUMAN MISSIONS., G1123347909, G2417251310, Secular evolution of water in the lunar mantle, G2813855707, Astronomy and Planetary Sciences at the Open University (APSOU)
OpenAlex ID: W2410907776