Hydrogen ice within lunar polar craters

We might have overlooked the widespread presence of methanol on the Moon and hydrogen ice within lunar polar craters. Here we show that (1) US Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) cannot distinguish between hydroxyl radicals from lunar water and hydroxyl groups from lunar methanol because the absorption strengths of the two are all 2.9 mm, and there are no established methods to distinguish them using the 2.9 mm band. Water ice within lunar polar craters is worthy of renewed investigation. (2) The 'surficial water' illogically appears at the lunar equator based on M3 spectral detection, seriously shaking the credi-bility of M3 spectral data analysis. (3) Methanol and water brought about by the interstellar methanol ice react in lunar carbon-rich regolith using Ce/Cu/Zn-Al catalysts to produce massive molecular hydrogen. This molecular hydrogen escapes into the lunar exosphere and is transported to lunar cold traps, forming brown-black solid molecular hydrogen (hydrogen ice) that appears in snowflake patterns at the lowest temperature within lunar polar craters. (4) The author concludes with a model of the physico-chemical process chains on the lunar surface, which systematically elucidates the mechanism of lunar hydrogen ice formation. (5) Hydrogen ice within lunar polar craters can become a fuel base for interplanetary flight. (c) 2022 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This article points out the presence of methanol and hydrogen ice on the Moon, and emphasizes the need to re-investigate water ice within lunar polar craters. It also explains the chemical reactions between interstellar methanol ice and lunar carbon-rich regolith that produce molecular hydrogen, and elucidates the mechanism of hydrogen ice formation. The author suggests that hydrogen ice within lunar polar craters can serve as a fuel base for interplanetary flight.