Scientists have found that the Moon might have frozen pockets of CO2 – and suggest they could come in handy to create lunar greenhouses. A team of researchers identified the carbon dioxide “cold traps” in a paper published in the journal Geophysical Research Letter.
This is a phenomenon that occurs when gasses like CO2 collect and remain in pockets because of the frigid temperatures, lack of atmosphere, and sunlight, according to Salon — a development that could lay out the course for an extended human presence, or even agriculture on the Moon’s surface.
Ideal place for colonization
“I think when I started this, the question was, ‘Can we confidently say there are carbon dioxide cold traps on the Moon or not?’” said Norbert Schörghofer, lead author of the study. “My surprise was that they’re actually, definitely there.”
As NASA prepares to send humans to the Moon with its Artemis mission, the existence of CO2 cold traps could offer a great opportunity. Firstly, CO2 can be used as fuel, which means fewer resources will be spent sending supplies to future lunar outposts.
The gas could be converted into oxygen for astronauts to breathe as well. CO2 can also come in handy in greenhouses, which require gas for plants to grow. All this means that areas near those cold traps could be ideal targets to set up base or colonies on the lunar surface.
Probing the Moon for water ice
“These should be high-priority sites to target for future landed missions,” said Paul Hayne, a planetary scientist at the University of Colorado. “This sort of pinpoints where you might go on the lunar surface to answer some of these big questions about volatiles on the Moon and their delivery from elsewhere in the solar system.”
Besides, NASA has also finalized the location where it’ll probe the Moon for water ice. This will make things clear whether the Moon is capable of supporting a long-term human presence. A robotic lander will be sent to the lunar South Pole near the Shackleton crater, a region believed to have stores of water ice beneath the surface.
