The traces of water in ancient moon rocks may share a common source with water on Earth, scientists say.
If confirmed, the potential moon-Earth water link would add more support to thetheorythat the moon’s material came from the proto-Earth, and that water in this material survived the aftermath of the giant impact thought to have formed Earth’s large natural satellite, researchers explained earlier this month at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Houston.
Until now, most studies of moon rocks have focused on assessing the water contents of the younger basalts and volcanic glasses, which are partially meltedsubstancesofthe lunar mantle. Researchers have access to the lunar rocks thanks to NASA’s six Apollo moon landing missions and the three Russian robotic sample-return missions. The Apollo missions returned to Earth with a huge load of 842 pounds (382 kilograms) of lunar rock and soil samples.
45 years ago when the first moon rocks were analyzed from Apollo 11 mission the results were a dry moon. Now with new technology in testing water is said to be found in the rocks.
Earth’s closets neighbor and there is much we still don’t know about the moon. The learning curve seems awful slow.