American scientists: The craters in some parts of the moon have a constant temperature of 17°C, which is perfect for living!

According to researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the shadowed areas of some craters on the moon may have stable temperatures that humans can adapt to.

In early human history, caves provided people with a place to call home, sheltering them from the outside world. Similarly, similar structures on the moon provided astronauts with a safe haven in temperatures similar to Earth's.

A study published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters in July found that some craters on the moon's surface were shadowed, and the temperature in the shadows hovered around 17 degrees Celsius, just within the temperature range that humans can adapt to.

These craters have a high probability of developing into habitable caves, because scientists can build thermally stable bases based on these temperatures, making lunar exploration activities and long-term human habitation on the moon safer.

"Humans evolved from living in caves to living in houses, but when we go to live on the moon, we may go back to living in caves," study co-author David Page, a UCLA professor of planetary science, said in a press release.

With a better understanding of these craters and the caves that may develop into them, scientists can finally speed up the process of devising feasible plans to build a permanent station that can withstand the extreme conditions on the lunar surface.

"The dream of long-term residence on the moon may come true sooner than we think," said Tyler Horvath, a UCLA planetary science major and the study's first author.

The temperature on the lunar surface can reach 127°C during the day and drop to -173°C at night. Unlike the huge temperature difference between day and night on the lunar surface, the lunar craters in the Sea of ​​Tranquility (lunar sea) have a stable temperature suitable for human habitation.

The Sea of ​​Tranquility comes from the Latin Mare Tranquillitatis and is often called the "Sea of ​​Tranquility" because of its relatively smooth and flat terrain. It is also the landing place of Apollo 11, the first spacecraft to send humans to the moon.

The above data comes from analysis of images taken by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and computer modeling.

“These (craters) are right at the resolution limit of the camera that took them,” said Briony Hogan, an associate professor of earth, atmospheric and planetary sciences at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. “I think it’s a huge step forward for human exploration of the moon that they were able to pull out such convincing data.”

Noah Petro, director of NASA's planetary geology, geophysics and geochemistry laboratory, said studying these pits and caves will help scientists better understand how other extreme environments on the moon behave, such as the polar regions of the moon that are the focus of NASA's Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the moon and land the first woman and first person of color on the lunar surface by 2025.

"The goal is to send humans to the area around the lunar south pole. It's very cold there, but fortunately we already have a lot of data about that area," Petro wrote in the email.

The extreme temperatures on the lunar surface reportedly make it difficult for NASA to create fully controllable heating and cooling equipment to generate enough energy to sustain long-term lunar exploration or habitation. However, this study shows that achieving this goal may not require the complex equipment that NASA currently assumes is needed.

With the help of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, scientists discovered craters on the moon in 2009. This discovery prompted them to wonder whether these caves could serve as shelter for humans on the moon.

"Of the more than 200 pits, approximately 16 are collapsed lava tubes," Horvath said in the release.

When a lava tube (a long, empty tunnel and cave-like structure formed by molten rock) collapses, it creates a pit that also serves as an entrance to the rest of the cave.

These pits contain at least two or three overhangs pointing in the direction of the caves.

Hogan said the caves would provide a stable environment for lunar settlement because they would block solar radiation and micrometeorite impacts. NASA believes the caves would also be protected from cosmic rays.

Hogan also said that based on the current research, it would be of great benefit to use radar data to find more potential caves. "This study provides real data for designing lunar habitats, which will be a qualitative leap."

NASA has plans to conduct robotic exploration on the moon through its Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. Starting in December 2022, cargo flights will carry equipment to navigate and map the lunar surface, conduct surveys, measure radiation levels, and assess the impact that human activities may have on the moon. Petro said the program would allow scientists to reach any part of the lunar surface, including the Sea of ​​Tranquility.

"The first priority for the LRO is to continue mapping the temperature of the lunar surface, because this information will give us a better understanding of the conditions the lunar surface will experience in the future and how different types of materials will respond to changes in lighting on the lunar surface," Petro said.

Comprehensive report by Ye Qingyang, an intern at Chengshi Interactive

Editor: Li Zheng