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Lunar dichotomy in surface water storage of impact glass beads

Author

Listed:
  • Huicun He

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Sen Hu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Liang Gao

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Ruiying Li

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Jialong Hao

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Ross N. Mitchell

    (University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Kai Lu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Yubing Gao

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Linxi Li

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Mengfan Qiu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Zhan Zhou

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Wei Yang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Shuhui Cai

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Yi Chen

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Lihui Jia

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Qiu-Li Li

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Hejiu Hui

    (Nanjing University)

  • Yangting Lin

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Xian-Hua Li

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Fu-Yuan Wu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

Abstract

Water is the one of most precious resources for planetary utilisation. Lunar nearside impact glass beads (IGBs) have been demonstrated to contain abundant solar wind-derived water (SW-H2O); however, little is known about its farside counterpart. Here, we report the water abundances and hydrogen isotope compositions and their distribution in farside IGBs collected by the Chang’e-6 mission to investigate the role of IGBs in the lunar surface water cycle. Farside IGBs are found to have water abundances of ~10–1,070 μg.g−1 with hydrogen isotopes (δD) ranging from –988‰ to >2000‰ and display typical SW-H2O hydration profiles. The SW-H2O hydration depths in farside IGBs are strikingly shallower than in nearside IGBs. Moreover, the hydration profiles are only found in mare IGBs, with none observed in non-mare IGBs, indicating that SW-H2O hydration in IGBs is likely composition dependent. These findings indicate that SW-H2O storage of IGBs exhibits a dichotomy distribution in lunar soils.

Suggested Citation

  • Huicun He & Sen Hu & Liang Gao & Ruiying Li & Jialong Hao & Ross N. Mitchell & Kai Lu & Yubing Gao & Linxi Li & Mengfan Qiu & Zhan Zhou & Wei Yang & Shuhui Cai & Yi Chen & Lihui Jia & Qiu-Li Li & Heji, 2025. "Lunar dichotomy in surface water storage of impact glass beads," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-60388-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-60388-y
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