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Studies of the isotopic composition of water on the Moon are important for planned space missions: Possible endogenic and exogenic sources of water have a very wide range in content D2O/HDO/H2O. IR spectra make it possible to estimate the content of “heavy” water which is important for support of metabolic processes. Also, IR spectroscopy is suitable for remote measurements of the mineral compositions of surface rocks. We used both experimental and numerical methods to obtain IR spectra of mixtures of «heavy» and «light» water adsorbed by typical lunar regolith minerals. Namely, olivine, pyroxenes, and anorthite were studied in detail. Typical differences in their IR spectral peaks with D2O/HDO/H2O molecules on the surface and reflective properties are presented. For numerical study, General Utility Lattice Program (GULP) (J. Gale, 1997) was used. It is the most powerful program for calculations of IR and Raman spectra by the method of interatomic potentials. GULP allowed us to select the minimization algorithm and most suitable potentials for the modeling of interatomic interactions. With the obtained results, we can analyze data from the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) more precisely. SOFIA used the 6.1 μm feature that uniquely traces molecular water, covering 1/4 of the lunar nearside surface south of − 60° latitude. The presence of localized enhancements in water abundance may support the hypothesis that at least part of the water produced by solar wind and meteoroid bombardment on the lunar surface may subsequently migrate toward the poles. Also, localized topography and roughness may play a role in water retention on the lunar surface and colder portions of the polar regions may retain water even if not permanently shadowed. Isotopic fractionation of water molecules should occur in repeated processes of sorption–desorption on the surface of the lunar rocks minerals. IR spectra of D2O/HDO/H2O molecules allow us to more accurately determine the sources of water on the Moon and the physico-chemical processes of its evolution.

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IR Spectra of “Heavy” Water Sorbed on Lunar Regolith Minerals

  • 会议论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年

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  • Sergey Voropaev,
  • Veniam in Fedulov,
  • Nikita Dushenko

摘要

Studies of the isotopic composition of water on the Moon are important for planned space missions: Possible endogenic and exogenic sources of water have a very wide range in content D2O/HDO/H2O. IR spectra make it possible to estimate the content of “heavy” water which is important for support of metabolic processes. Also, IR spectroscopy is suitable for remote measurements of the mineral compositions of surface rocks. We used both experimental and numerical methods to obtain IR spectra of mixtures of «heavy» and «light» water adsorbed by typical lunar regolith minerals. Namely, olivine, pyroxenes, and anorthite were studied in detail. Typical differences in their IR spectral peaks with D2O/HDO/H2O molecules on the surface and reflective properties are presented. For numerical study, General Utility Lattice Program (GULP) (J. Gale, 1997) was used. It is the most powerful program for calculations of IR and Raman spectra by the method of interatomic potentials. GULP allowed us to select the minimization algorithm and most suitable potentials for the modeling of interatomic interactions. With the obtained results, we can analyze data from the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) more precisely. SOFIA used the 6.1 μm feature that uniquely traces molecular water, covering 1/4 of the lunar nearside surface south of − 60° latitude. The presence of localized enhancements in water abundance may support the hypothesis that at least part of the water produced by solar wind and meteoroid bombardment on the lunar surface may subsequently migrate toward the poles. Also, localized topography and roughness may play a role in water retention on the lunar surface and colder portions of the polar regions may retain water even if not permanently shadowed. Isotopic fractionation of water molecules should occur in repeated processes of sorption–desorption on the surface of the lunar rocks minerals. IR spectra of D2O/HDO/H2O molecules allow us to more accurately determine the sources of water on the Moon and the physico-chemical processes of its evolution.