NASA’s Orbiter Finds New Tunnels on the Moon
For the past 50 years, the existence of tunnels beneath the lunar surface has been a subject of theoretical debate. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter radar data analysis has now unveiled what lies beneath Mare Tranquillitatis.
Led by the University of Trento, Italy, an international team of scientists has published a groundbreaking study revealing the discovery of a tunnel in the lunar subsurface—a seemingly vacant lava tube. This research, marking a significant milestone, was published today (July 15) in Nature Astronomy, representing a collaborative effort across nations.
“This idea of caves has been speculated for over 50 years, but this is the first time we’ve actually proven their existence,” explains Lorenzo Bruzzone, a professor at the University of Trento.
Insights from Bruzzone on Lunar Confirmation Methodology
Bruzzone elaborates on how this confirmation was achieved: In 2010, during the ongoing LRO NASA mission, the Miniature Radio-Frequency (Mini-RF) instrument captured data that included a depression in Mare Tranquilitatis.
Years later, we reanalyzed this data using advanced signal processing techniques we recently developed. However, we discovered radar reflections from the area of the depression that are most plausibly explained by an underground cave passage. This discovery offers the initial direct evidence of an accessible lava tube beneath the Moon’s surface.
Modeling the Lunar Lava Tube
“Through data analysis, we constructed a model of a section of the tunnel,” explains Leonardo Carrer, a researcher at the University of Trento. “Our observations strongly suggest the presence of an empty lava tube.”
However, Wes Patterson, principal investigator for Mini-RF at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, emphasizes, This study demonstrates how radar data from the Moon can be innovatively applied to tackle fundamental scientific and exploration questions. “It underscores the importance of ongoing remote sensing missions like the current LRO mission and hopefully future orbiter missions.”
The research, supported in part by the Italian Space Agency, also engaged scientists from the University of Padua and La Venta Geographic Explorations APS, who contributed to geological analyses and modeling of the identified tunnel.
The study holds significant scientific implications for lunar missions, given the Moon’s hostile environment unsuitable for human habitation.
Surface temperatures on the illuminated side can soar to 127°C (261°F), while on the dark side, temperatures plummet to -173°C (-279°F). Cosmic and solar radiation on the lunar surface can exceed Earth’s by up to 150 times, and the constant risk of meteorite impacts further complicates exploration.
To conclude, these challenges underscore the necessity of identifying secure locations for constructing infrastructure to support sustained lunar exploration. Caves like the one discovered offer a potential solution to this challenge.
Read the original article on: Scitecdaily
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