Surface Water at Lunar Magnetic Anomalies

Abstract

AbstractThe presence of water on the lunar surface has been confirmed by multiple Earth‐based and orbital observations. However, the origins of this water and the factors that control its stability at different latitudes are still debated. Magnetic anomalies on the Moon systematically reduce solar wind flux while locally keeping other confounding variables constant, which provides a natural laboratory for understanding the contribution of solar wind to lunar surface water. We find that water mapped with Moon Mineralogy Mapper data exhibit strong suppressions at magnetic anomalies, indicating that reduced solar wind flux prevents the formation of water. Our results support the hypothesis that the solar wind contributes significantly to the presence of the lunar surface water. Future missions and studies focusing on how magnetic fields affect water production can provide essential clues about how surface water is formed on the Moon and other airless bodies.