Astronomers Finally Explain How Molecules From Earth's Atmosphere Keep Winding Up On the Moon (cnn.com)
- Reference: 0180604302
- News link: https://science.slashdot.org/story/26/01/17/0525200/astronomers-finally-explain-how-molecules-from-earths-atmosphere-keep-winding-up-on-the-moon
- Source link: https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/13/science/moon-stealing-earth-atmosphere-magnetic-field
> Particles from Earth's atmosphere have been carried into space by solar wind and have been landing on the moon for billions of years, mixing into the lunar soil, according to a new study [published in the journal [2] Nature Communications Earth & Environment last month]. The research sheds new light on a puzzle that has endured for over half a century since the Apollo missions brought back lunar samples with traces of substances such as water, carbon dioxide, helium and nitrogen embedded in the regolith — the moon's dusty surface layer.
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> [3]Early studies theorized that the sun was the source of some of these substances. But in 2005 researchers at the University of Tokyo [4]suggested that they could have also originated from the atmosphere of a young Earth before it developed a magnetic field about 3.7 billion years ago. The authors suspected that the magnetic field, once in place, would have stopped the stream by trapping the particles and making it difficult or impossible for them to escape into space. Now, the new research upends that assumption by suggesting that Earth's magnetic field might have helped, rather than blocked, the transfer of atmospheric particles to the moon — which continues to this day.
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> "This means that the Earth has been supplying volatile gases like oxygen and nitrogen to the lunar soil over all this time," said Eric Blackman, coauthor of the new study and a professor in the department of physics and astronomy at the University of Rochester in New York.
Earth's magnetic field "somewhat inflates the atmosphere of Earth" when it's hit by solar winds, according to study coauthor Eric Blackman, a physics/astronomy professor at New York's University of Rochester. He told CNN the moon passes through this region for a few days each month, with particles landing on the lunar surface and embedding in the soil (because the moon lacks an atmosphere that would block them).
This also means the moon's soil could actually contain a chemical record of Earth's ancient atmosphere, according to the study — "spanning billions of years..."
[1] https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/13/science/moon-stealing-earth-atmosphere-magnetic-field
[2] https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02960-4
[3] https://adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1979LPICo.363...43T
[4] https://www.nature.com/articles/nature03929
More like they proved it. (Score:5, Informative)
It's not like they didn't know this was happening, it's more like they finally have the evidence that conclusively identifies that solar wind transferring these molecules. I mean, there was even a whole 2017 study outlined exactly how solar wind and Earth’s magnetic field would transport oxygen to the moon and it's unsurprising that this validated the theory.
This is kinda like showing that the wind blew a weed from your neighbor's weed-filled lawn onto your lawn which is why weed of the exact same type have started growing in your lawn. It was a "well, duh!" situation but now it's beyond doubt.
But that implies ... (Score:3)
... that only the earth-facing side of the moon will contain atmospheric gasses, while the opposite side should have significantly less, if any. Pity that only one Chinese lander has touched down there so far. Do we have any data from that one?
Re: But that implies ... (Score:2)
Yes, the Chinese space agency openly shares its data, after a delay for internal dissemination and analysis. They're even sharing material from the sample return mission (1/3 of it IIRC).
Soon they will discover microplastics (Score:2)
They are getting everywhere.
The Answer My Friend... (Score:2)
is blowing in the wind.
The answer is blowing in the wind.
Braaaap! (Score:2)
Earth: Pardon me.
Executive Summary (Score:3)
They followed Apple Maps.
Re: Executive Summary (Score:2)
If they did then it probably went to the asteroid belt first.
Re: Executive Summary (Score:2)
Updated Summary They followed the atrocious cartographic design choices and âoeprogrammer artâ interface of Google Maps