What Is The Makeup Of Our Moon's Atmosphere

Atmosphere of the Moon

On the moon, at that place'southward no air to breathe, no breezes to make the flags planted there by the Apollo astronauts flutter. Yet, there is a very, very thin layer of gases on the lunar surface that can almost be called an temper. Technically, information technology's considered an exosphere.

In an exosphere, the gases are and so spread out that they rarely collide with 1 some other. They are rather like microscopic cannon balls flying unimpeded on curved, ballistic trajectories and bouncing across the lunar surface. In the moon'southward atmosphere, there are only 100 molecules per cubic centimeter. In comparing, World's atmosphere at sea level has about 100 billion billion molecules per cubic centimeter. The total mass of these lunar gases is about 55,000 pounds (25,000 kilograms), most the same weight as a loaded dump truck. Every dark, the cold temperatures mean the atmosphere falls to the ground, but to be kicked upward by the solar wind the following days.

The slim, bright crescent, known as the Lunar Horizon Glow (LHG) was glimpsed several times during Apollo missions. This picture was taken with the Clementine spacecraft, when the sun was behind the moon. The white area on the edge of the moon is the LHG, and the bright dot at the top is the planet Venus. — The slim, bright crescent, known every bit the Lunar Horizon Glow (LHG) was glimpsed several times during Apollo missions. This film was taken with the Clementine spacecraft, when the sun was backside the moon. The white area on the border of the moon is the LHG, and the bright dot at the peak is the planet Venus. (Image credit: NASA)

"Information technology's non annihilation similar an atmosphere nosotros would think of," Anthony Colaprete of NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California said in a statement.

Several elements have been detected in the lunar atmosphere. Detectors left past Apollo astronauts take detected argon-forty, helium-4, oxygen, methane, nitrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. Earth-based spectrometers have detected sodium and potassium, while the Lunar Prospector orbiter found radioactive isotopes of radon and polonium. Recently, scientists even institute that water molecules less than a micrometer thick could survive on the lunar surface.

In 2012, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter detected helium.

"The question now becomes, does the helium originate from inside the moon — for example, due to radioactive decay in rocks — or from an exterior source, such as the solar wind?" Alan Stern, principal investigator on the LRO's LAMP instrument and researcher at the Southwest Research Found in Colorado, said in a statement.

I of the sources for the moon'due south temper is outgassing, the release of gases from the lunar interior, commonly due to radioactive disuse. Outgassing events may also occur during moonquakes. After being released, lighter gases escape into space near immediately. Outgassing replenishes the tenuous atmosphere.

The touch on of sunlight, the solar wind and micrometeorites hitting the moon's surface tin can too release gases that were buried in the lunar soil — a process chosen sputtering. These gases either fly off into space or bounce along the lunar surface. Sputtering may explain how water ice collected in lunar craters. Comets hit the moon may have left some water molecules on the surface. Some of the molecules then accumulated in dark polar craters, forming beds of solid ice that some scientists and engineers take discussed mining for futurity human explorers.

The grit and temper can have serious consequences for astronauts planning to travel to the moon. Moondust stripped Apollo spacesuits threadbare. Understanding the material floating in the lunar temper should help infinite exploration programs to design the next generation of spacesuits and lunar equipment.

Moon glow

Ultraviolet sunlight affects the released gases past ejecting electrons, which gives them an electrical accuse that can crusade the particles to levitate more than a mile into the sky. At night, the reverse occurs. Atoms receive electrons from the solar current of air and settle dorsum down near the surface.

This floating fountain of moon dust travels forth the boundary between night and mean solar day, creating a glow similar to World sunsets. Known as the Lunar Horizon Glow, it was observed several times during Apollo missions.

"Information technology's something we don't run across anywhere on Earth, and it's something that has direct relevance to infinite exploration, because if you understand how the dust behaves and is charged, you tin prepare for moon exploration," lunar scientist Denis Richard, of NASA's Ames Research Laboratory, told Space.com. "Imagine if the dust is charged really, really strongly, yous tin take some trouble with space equipment, information technology can wear off your equipment because it's annoying."

Apollo astronauts described moon dust as gritty, annoying and clingy. Information technology tin can wreak havoc on equipment and computers. Moonwalkers were coated in information technology and their spacesuits were almost threadbare when they returned to Earth. Much more will need to exist learned almost lunar grit before NASA returns astronauts to the moon.

Boosted reporting by Nola Taylor Redd, Infinite.com correspondent

Larn more than about the moon:

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Tim Sharp is the Reference Editor for Space.com. He manages articles that explain scientific concepts, draw natural phenomena and define technical terms. Previously, he was a Engineering science Editor at The New York Times and the Online Editor at the Des Moines Register. He was too a copy editor at several newspapers. Before joining Purch, Tim was a developmental editor at the Hazelden Foundation. He has a journalism degree from the University of Kansas. Follow Tim on Google+ and @therealtimsharp

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