Somehow, the Moon has a true atmosphere, mysterious and tenuous, and researchers have now successfully traced its origins.
Theoretically, the Moon should not have an atmosphere due to insufficient gravity to maintain one, as is the case with Earth.
However, in reality, Earth’s natural satellite is still enveloped by a thin layer of gas, tentatively referred to as extraterrestrial atmosphere.
In fact, the Moon has an atmosphere.
This surprising reality was first uncovered by instruments brought to the Moon by astronauts from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) during the Apollo missions.
Moreover, the Moon’s atmosphere is not breathable due to the presence of alkali metals, which include lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, and caesium.
The Moon’s tenuous gravity means that any atmosphere it has would likely have been lost to space. Therefore, the existence of an atmosphere on the Moon implies a continuous supply is necessary to sustain that atmosphere.
A team led by Professor Nicole Nie from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has successfully identified the source of the Moon’s atmosphere.
Based on their research findings, tiny micrometeorite particles, no larger than dust grains, continuously collide with the surface of Earth’s natural satellite, vaporizing dust and releasing atoms into the surrounding space, according to a report published in the journal Science Advances.
“We provide a definitive answer: the vaporization caused by micrometeorite impacts is what generates the Moon’s atmosphere“, said geochemist Nie.
“The Moon is nearly 4.5 billion years old, and over that long period, its surface has been continuously bombarded by meteoroids. We found that for a long time, the thin atmosphere has reached a stable state because it is continuously replenished by small impacts occurring across the Moon,” the lead researcher stated.
The Moon is estimated to be over 40 million years younger.
In other words, micrometeorite impacts are the largest supplementary source for the Moon’s atmosphere.
The MIT team also suggested using a similar research model for other celestial bodies like the Moon, such as Phobos, one of Mars’ two moons.
