The presence of frozen volatiles (especially H2O ice) has been proposed in the permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) near the poles of the Moon, based on various remote measurements including the visible and near-infrared (VNIR) spectroscopy. Compared with the middle- and low-latitude areas, the VNIR spectral signals in the PSRs are noisy due to poor solar illumination. Coupled with the lunar regolith coverage and mixing effects, the available VNIR spectral characteristics for the identification of H2O ice in the PSRs are limited. Deep learning models, as emerging techniques in lunar exploration, are able to learn spectral features and patterns, and discover complex spectral patterns and nonlinear relationships from large datasets, enabling them applicable on lunar hyperspectral remote sensing data and H2O-ice identification task. Here we present H2O ice identification results by a deep learning-based model named one-dimensional convolutional autoencoder. During the model application, there are intrinsic differences between the remote sensing spectra obtained by the orbital spectrometers and the laboratory spectra acquired by state-of-the-art instruments. To address the challenges of limited training data and the difficulty of matching laboratory and remote sensing spectra, we introduce self-supervised learning method to achieve pixel-level identification and mapping of H2O ice in the lunar south polar region. Our model is applied to the level 2 reflectance data of Moon Mineralogy Mapper. The spectra of the identified H2O ice-bearing pixels were extracted to perform dual validation using spectral angle mapping and peak clustering methods, further confirming the identification of most pixels containing H2O ice. The spectral characteristics of H2O ice in the lunar south polar region related to the crystal structure, grain size, and mixing effect of H2O ice are also discussed. H2O ice in the lunar south polar region tends to exist in the form of smaller particles (similar to 70 mu m in size), while the weak/absent 2-mu m absorption indicate the existence of unusually large particles. Crystalline ice is the main phase responsible for the identified spectra of ice-bearing surface however the possibility of amorphous H2O ice beneath optically sensed depth cannot be ruled out.

The contributions of external and internal hydration (OH and H2O) on the shape and strength of hydration related features at 3 and 6 mu m for lunar relevant nominally anhydrous minerals were investigated under vacuum conditions. Understanding the effect of hydration on the reflectance spectra of lunar analog materials in the laboratory can provide insights into remote sensing observations of the lunar surface and the potential for 3 and/or 6 mu m observations to determine the speciation of hydration on the Moon. We demonstrate changes in the shape and strength of the broad 3 mu m absorption feature in olivine and anorthite that is associated with the removal of hydration under changing environmental conditions. The overlapping nature of OH and H2O related absorption features in the similar to 3 mu m region makes it difficult to uniquely determine the speciation of hydration. Despite evidence of H2O loss in the 3 mu m region, we do not observe the fundamental bending mode of H2O at 6 mu m, posing potential challenges for the detection H2O on the lunar surface and throughout our solar system.

The extent of moderately volatile elements (MVE) depletion and its effects on the Moon's evolutionary history remain contentious, partly due to unintentionally biased sampling by the Apollo missions from the Procellarum KREEP Terrane. In this study, we analyzed the Zn and K isotope compositions of a series of lunar basaltic meteorites, which vary in Th content and are likely to represent a broader sampling range than previous studies, including samples from the far side of the Moon. Our findings indicate remarkably consistent Zn and K isotope compositions across all lunar basalt types, despite significant variations in Th content. This consistency suggests a relatively homogeneous isotopic composition of volatile elements within the Moon, unaffected by subsequent impact events that formed major basins. Our results suggest that the estimates of MVE abundance and isotopic compositions from the Apollo returned samples are likely representative of the bulk Moon, supporting a globally volatile-depleted lunar interior.

Although water ice has been detected by satellite observations near the lunar poles, it is unknown if this ice is simply frost on the Moon's surface or if larger ice deposits exist in the subsurface. If ice is present within the subsurface, it is unknown if this ice exists as loose ice grains or as a cement that binds regolith grains together. To create an economically viable extraction and production plan for lunar water ice resources, we must characterize near-surface ice concentration and distribution at small (<10 m) spatial and depth scales. Geophysical methods that can be deployed on the Moon's surface, such as seismic surveying, could supply some of this information for future lunar mine planning. To improve our understanding of how seismic surveying may detect and characterize subsurface lunar ice, we performed laboratory ultrasonic velocity measurements of lunar regolith simulant with variable amounts of granular and cementing ice. These measurements were performed under variable confining pressure (0.005-0.08 MPa) and constant low temperature (-26 degrees C). We used these measurements to calibrate a rock physics model to predict seismic velocity as a function of porosity, pressure, ice concentration and ice texture. Our results show that seismic velocity increases with ice concentration, and this increase is roughly 20 times higher for cementing ice than for granular ice. Our model can be used in future studies to predict how effective seismic methods may be for detecting and characterizing subsurface lunar ice deposits with varying ice properties and geologic complexity.

The abundances and isotopic signatures of volatile elements provide critical information for understanding the delivery of water and other essential life-giving compounds to planets. It has been demonstrated that the Moon is depleted in moderately volatile elements (MVE), such as Zn, Cl, S, K and Rb, relative to the Earth. The isotopic compositions of these MVE in lunar rocks suggest loss of volatile elements during the formation of the Moon, as well as their modification during later differentiation and impact processes. Due to its moderately volatile and strongly chalcophile behaviour, copper (Cu) provides a distinct record of planetary accretion and differentiation processes relative to Cl, Rb, Zn or K. Here we present Cu isotopic compositions of Apollo 11, 12, 14 and 15 mare basalts and lunar basaltic meteorites, which range from delta 65Cu of +0.55 +/- 0.01 %o to +3.94 +/- 0.04 %o (per mil deviation of the 65Cu/63Cu from the NIST SRM 976 standard), independent of mare basalt Ti content. The delta 65Cu values of the basalts are negatively correlated with their Cu contents, which is interpreted as evidence for volatile loss upon mare basalt emplacement, plausibly related to the presence Cl- and S-bearing ligands in the vapour phase. This relationship can be used to determine the Cu isotopic composition of the lunar mantle to a delta 65Cu of +0.57 +/- 0.15 %o. The bulk silicate Moon (BSM) is 0.5%o heavier than the bulk silicate Earth (+0.07 +/- 0.10 %o) or chondritic materials (from -1.45 +/- 0.08 %o to 0.07 +/- 0.06 %o). Owing to the ineffectiveness of sulfide segregation and lunar core formation in inducing Cu isotopic fractionation, the isotopic difference between the Moon and the Earth is attributed to volatile loss during the Moon-forming event, which must have occurred at- or nearequilibrium.

Metallic ions are commonly found in the cis-lunar environment, primarily produced through the neutral lunar exosphere. They become prevalent species of lunar pickup ions as the Moon moves through the solar wind upstream, magnetosheath, and magnetotail. Extensive studies on the composition of lunar pickup ions from the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer and THEMIS-ARTEMIS missions have revealed the significant presence of ions with around 28 and 40 amu near the Moon, which are later identified as metallic species such as Al+, Si+ and K+ ions. However, while these studies have provided valuable insights, the abundance of metallic ions and their variations with the Moon's location and solar activity has yet to be understood. This study calculates the production and ionization rates of metallic ions based on in-situ THEMIS-ARTEMIS observations. Our analysis indicates that the magnetosphere effectively reduces the production of metallic neutrals and ions due to the reduction of ionization and sputtering rates. The statistical analysis of the 12-year data set further shows that the lunar pickup ion fluxes are not heavily reliant on solar activity, and the median values remain relatively consistent over time. Therefore, the source rates of metallic pickup ions are associated with the location of the Moon rather than being dependent on solar activity. The outflow rates of heavy ion species from the Moon are comparable with the molecular and metallic ion rates from Earth's ionosphere, suggesting their essential roles in the dynamics of heavy ions in Earth's terrestrial environment.

Space weathering alters the surface materials of airless planetary bodies; however, the effects on moderately volatile elements in the lunar regolith are not well constrained. For the first time, we provide depth profiles for stable K and Fe isotopes in a continuous lunar regolith core, Apollo 17 double drive tube 73001/2. The top of the core is enriched in heavy K isotopes (delta 41K = 3.48 +/- 0.05 parts per thousand) with a significant trend toward lighter K isotopes to a depth of 7 cm; while the lower 44 cm has only slight variation with an average delta 41K value of 0.15 +/- 0.05 parts per thousand. Iron, which is more refractory, shows only minor variation; the delta 56Fe value at the top of the core is 0.16 +/- 0.02 parts per thousand while the average bottom 44 cm is 0.11 +/- 0.03 parts per thousand. The isotopic fractionation in the top 7 cm of the core, especially the K isotopes, correlates with soil maturity as measured by ferromagnetic resonance. Kinetic fractionation from volatilization by micrometeoroid impacts is modeled in the double drive tube 73001/2 using Rayleigh fractionation and can explain the observed K and Fe isotopic fractionation. Effects from cosmogenic 41K (from decay of 41Ca) were calculated and found to be negligible in 73001/2. In future sample return missions, researchers can use heavy K isotope signatures as tracers of space weathering effects.

Measurements of the lunar surface have revealed a variable presence of hydration, which has contributions from both hydroxyl (OH) and molecular water (H2O). Recent observations of the lunar hydration suggest that a component of this signature is comprised of molecules that are readily mobile and actively migrate across the lunar surface over the course of a lunar day due to surface temperature variations. However, exospheric measurements of H2O suggest very low abundances above the dayside surface which previous work has argued is in conflict with the surface abundances and the putative occurance of ballistic migration. Here, we use a ballistic transport model to quantify the amounts of OH and H2O in the lunar exosphere and to characterize patterns in the transportation and retention of hydration across the lunar surface. We find that similar to 0.5% of a monolayer of hydration on the surface, with 99% OH and 1% H2O contribution to hydration signatures, matches observational upper limits for the presence of hydration in the exosphere. We conclude that there is no discrepancy between the low exospheric measurements and ballistic migration. However, the previously observed day-time recovery of the hydration signal cannot be explained by this ballistic migration, suggesting that OH/H2O production is also occurring on timescales less than a lunar day. Additionally, we find that ballistic transport results in the transportation of similar to 2% of the hydration sourced from surface desorption to the polar regions of the Moon.

The image of a bone-dry surface in the Moon's non-polar regions impinged by the Apollo missions was changed by the detection of widespread absorption near 3 mu m in 2009, interpreted as a signature of hydration. However, debates persist on the relative contribution of molecular water (H2O) and other hydroxyl (OH) compounds to this hydration feature, as well as the cause of the potential temperature-dependence of the OH/H2O abundance. Resolving these debates will help to estimate the inventory of water on the Moon, a crucial resource for future space explorations. In this study, we measured the abundance and isotope composition of hydrogen within the outermost micron of Chang'e-5 soil grains, collected from the lunar surface and from a depth of 1 m. These measurements, combined with our laboratory simulation experiments, demonstrate that solar-wind-induced OH can be thermally retained in lunar regolith, with an abundance of approximately 48-95 ppm H2O equivalent. This abundance exhibits small latitude dependence and no diurnal variation. By integrating our results with published remote sensing data, we propose that a high amount of molecular water (similar to 360 +/- 200 ppm H2O) exists in the subsurface layer of the Moon's non-polar regions. The migration of this H2O accounts for the observed latitude and diurnal variations in 3 mu m band intensity. The inventory of OH and H2O proposed in this study reconciles the seemingly conflicting observations from various instruments, including infrared/ultraviolet spectroscopies and the Neutral Mass Spectrometer (NMS). Our interpretation of the distribution and dynamics of lunar hydration offers new insights for future lunar research and space missions.

We present the first full-wavelength numerical simulations of the electric field generated by cosmic ray impacts into the Moon. Billions of cosmic rays fall onto the Moon every year. Ultra-high energy cosmic ray impacts produce secondary particle cascades within the regolith and subsequent coherent, wide-bandwidth, linearly-polarized radio pulses by the Askaryan Effect. Observations of the cosmic ray particle shower radio emissions can reveal subsurface structure on the Moon and enable the broad and deep prospecting necessary to confirm or refute the existence of polar ice deposits. Our simulations show that the radio emissions and reflections could reveal ice layers as thin as 10 cm and buried under regolith as deep as 9 m. The Askaryan Effect presents a novel and untapped opportunity for characterizing buried lunar ice at unprecedented depths and spatial scales.