The Geochemical Effect of Impact Processing of Polar Regolith on the Moon

A. T. Basilevsky; Базилевский А. Т.; V. A. Dorofeeva; Дорофеева В. А.; Yuan Li; Ли Юань; LiGang Fang; Фанг ЛиГанг

doi:10.31857/S0320930X22060032

The Geochemical Effect of Impact Processing of Polar Regolith on the Moon

Authors: Basilevsky A.T.¹, Dorofeeva V.A.¹, Li Y.², Fang L.²
Affiliations:
1. Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
2. Suzhou Vocational University, Suzhou, China
Issue: Vol 57, No 1 (2023)
Pages: 38-44
Section: Articles
URL: https://journals.rcsi.science/0320-930X/article/view/134968
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31857/S0320930X22060032
EDN: https://elibrary.ru/EKGCXB
ID: 134968

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Abstract

The paper considers the geochemical effects of impact processing of the polar regolith of the Moon. It contains an admixture of water ice, which can (should?) provide conditions for possible chemical reactions. To date, only one geochemical effect was reliably found—the formation of hematite Fe2O3, which is uncharacteristic for relatively low selenographic latitudes. In the work, a thermodynamic analysis of the conditions required for the formation of hematite is carried out. It is shown that this requires the presence of free oxygen, which (this is a possible option) can accumulate during the dissipation into outer space of hydro gen formed during water decomposition. The specific process or processes of hematite formation require fur ther study. It is very likely that impact processing of polar regolith also leads to hydration of silicate glasses and to the formation of heavy hydrocarbons. The dissipation of free hydrogen into outer space, which, apparently, is formed in these processes, should lead to an increase in the deuterium content in the remaining hydrogen. The Н2О ice of the polar regolith likely contains a significant amount of heavy water. Future inves tigations in the polar regions of the Moon, especially with the delivery of samples to Earth, should confirm or refute these conclusions and assumptions.

Keywords

polar regions of the Moon, impact craters, regolith, volatile components, hematite

References

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