月球基地选址+1？

Aplanepassesinfrontofthemoon,August30,2023./AP

施普林格·自然旗下专业学术期刊《自然-天文学》最新发表一篇行星科学论文称，研究人员发现了月球上一露天坑具有进入地下洞道的潜在可能。 

月球表面已发现200多个被称为“天窗”的坑，但之前一直不确定它们是否通向大型地下洞穴。

静海坑是月球上已知最深的坑，半径约为100米。意大利特伦托大学研究团队通过分析月球勘测轨道飞行器的雷达数据，发现一个从静海坑坑底西侧扩张的洞道。团队估计，这个洞道长30—80米，宽约45米，可能是平坦的或呈最大45度角倾斜，并且或能进入。

这项研究结果增进了人们对月球地质的认知，或可成为月球基地的理想选址，从而在未来月球表面载人任务中充当庇护所的潜在作用。

Scientistshaveconfirmedtheexistenceofacaveonthemoon,notfarfromwhereNeilArmstrongandBuzzAldrinlanded55yearsago,andsuspectthattherearehundredsmorethatcouldhousefutureastronauts.

AnItalian-ledteamreportedonMondayofevidenceforasizablecaveaccessiblefromthedeepestknownpitonthemoon.It'slocatedattheSeaofTranquility,just400kilometersfromtheApollo11'slandingsite.

Thepit,likethemorethan200othersdiscoveredthere,wascreatedbythecollapseofalavatube.

ResearchersanalyzedradarmeasurementsbyNASA'sLunarReconnaissanceOrbiter,andcomparedtheresultswithlavatubesonEarth.TheirfindingswerepublishedinthejournalNatureAstronomy.

Theradardatarevealsonlytheinitialpartoftheundergroundcavity,accordingtothescientists.Theyestimateit'satleast40meterswideandtensofmeterslong,likelyevenmoreextensive.

"Lunarcaveshaveremainedamysteryforover50years.Soitwasexcitingtobeabletofinallyprovetheexistence"ofone,LeonardoCarrerandLorenzoBruzzoneoftheUniversityofTrento,wroteinanemail.

Mostofthepitsappeartobelocatedinthemoon'sancientlavaplains,accordingtothescientists.Theremayalsobesomeatthemoon'ssouthpole,theplannedlocationofNASA'sastronautlandingslaterthisdecade.Permanentlyshadowedcraterstherearebelievedtoholdfrozenwaterthatcouldprovidedrinkingwaterandrocketfuel.

DuringNASA'sApolloprogram,12astronautslandedonthemoon,beginningwithArmstrongandAldrinonJuly20,1969.

Thefindingssuggestthattherecouldbehundredsofpitsonthemoonandthousandsoflavatubes.Suchplacescouldserveasanaturalshelterforastronauts,protectingthemfromcosmicraysandsolarradiationaswellasfrommicrometeoritestrikes.Buildinghabitatsfromscratchwouldbemoretime-consumingandchallenging,evenwhenfactoringinthepotentialneedofreinforcingthecavewallstopreventacollapse,theteamsaid.

Rocksandothermaterialinsidethesecaves–unalteredbytheharshsurfaceconditionsovertheeons– alsocanhelpscientistsbetterunderstandhowthemoonevolved,especiallyintermsofitsvolcanicactivity.