Active Polar Regions on the Moon?
New Study: Electric Sparks May Alter Evolution of Lunar Soil, University of New Hampshire
“The study, published recently in the Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets, proposes that high-energy particles from uncommon, large solar storms penetrate the moon’s frigid, polar regions and electrically charge the soil. The charging may create sparking, or electrostatic breakdown, and this “breakdown weathering” process has possibly changed the very nature of the moon’s polar soil, suggesting that permanently shadowed regions, which hold clues to our solar system’s past, may be more active than previously thought.”
Shocking news. 😉
So why not land a few cost-constrained rovers in the polar regions of interest and figure out what is actually going on there? I know NASA doesn’t do “cost-constrained” particularly well, but perhaps others could step up to the plate.
Sad thing is, they used to do “cost-constrained” fairly well, and fairly recently. Spirit and Opportunity cost practically nothing compared to other missions.
Ok, so this begs the question — if said proposals are true, how would that affect a landing at that location?
Please see also Journ. of Geophys. Res. Vol 78, 3172, 1973
“Electrostatic charging of the lunar surface and possible consequences”