Astronomers Finally Explain How Molecules From Earth's Atmosphere Keep Winding Up On the Moon

A new study published in the journal Nature Communications Earth & Environment has found that particles from Earth's atmosphere have been carried into space by solar wind and have landed on the moon for billions of years. These particles have mixed into the lunar soil, providing new insights into a puzzle that has endured since the Apollo missions brought back lunar samples with traces of substances such as water, carbon dioxide, helium, and nitrogen. Early studies suggested that the sun was the source of some of these substances, but later research proposed that they could have originated from the atmosphere of a young Earth. The new research challenges the assumption that Earth's magnetic field blocked the transfer of atmospheric particles to the moon, instead suggesting that it may have helped facilitate this process. According to the study, Earth's magnetic field inflates the atmosphere when hit by solar winds, allowing particles to escape and land on the moon. The moon passes through this inflated region for a few days each month, resulting in particles embedding in the lunar soil due to the moon's lack of atmosphere. This process has been ongoing for billions of years, with the Earth supplying volatile gases like oxygen and nitrogen to the lunar soil. The study's findings mean that the moon's soil could contain a chemical record of Earth's ancient atmosphere, spanning billions of years. The research was coauthored by Eric Blackman, a professor in the department of physics and astronomy at the University of Rochester in New York. The discovery provides new insights into the history of the Earth's atmosphere and the moon's composition, and could have significant implications for our understanding of the Earth-moon system.