| Abstrakt: |
The global distribution of surficial hydroxyl on the Moon is hypothesized to be derived from the implantation of solar wind protons. As the Moon traverses the geomagnetic tail, it is generally shielded from the solar wind; therefore, the concentration of hydrogen is expected to decrease during full Moon. A Monte Carlo approach is used to model the diffusion of implanted hydrogen atoms in the regolith as they form metastable bonds with O atoms, and the subsequent degassing of H2 into the exosphere. We quantify the expected change in the surface OH and the H2 exosphere using averaged SW proton flux obtained from the Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence, and Electrodynamics of the Moon's Interaction with the Sun (ARTEMIS) measurements. At lunar local noon, there is a small difference <∼10 ppm between the surface concentrations in the tail compared to out. However, the cumulative effect of traversing the magnetotail is a surface concentration depleted by ∼60 ppm for a region of the surface that spends most of its time in the lunar wake (waning gibbous to waxing crescent) on the nightside during time periods when Moon is exposed to unperturbed solar wind. The H2 exosphere decreased by approximately an order of magnitude while in the magnetotail due to the decreased proton flux. The model results are consistent with preliminary exospheric observations obtained by both the (Lyman Alpha Mapping Project on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) LAMP observations and mass spectrometer measurements by the Chandrayaan‐I Altitudinal Composition Explorer (CHACE). Plain Language Summary: We examine how water is produced globally over the lunar surface as it orbits in/out of the magnetotail. Due to the interaction of the solar wind (SW) with Earth's magnetic field, upstream the magnetic field is compressed down to ∼10 Earth radii. However, the diverted stream of SW around Earth's magnetic field results in an extended depleted region of SW protons (positively charged hydrogen) out to 1,000s of Earth radii, referred to as the magnetotail. The Moon orbits at a distance of ∼40 Earth radii; therefore, upstream it is within the SW, but downstream it is partially shielded while in the magnetotail during full Moon. SW protons penetrate lunar soil particles and some H atoms can chemical react with oxygen to form water‐like molecules such as OH/H2O. Most of the H atoms bounce around within grains until finding another hydrogen atom, chemically combine, and then escape the grain as H2 into the thin atmosphere. We developed a model to calculate the global distribution of OH produced in the lunar surface and H2 released to the atmosphere as the Moon orbits in/out of Earth's magnetotail. The model results are in good agreement with available observations. Key Points: Low‐latitude nightside OH is depleted from waning gibbous to waxing crescent because of shielding when traversing the magnetotailLow‐latitude dayside OH is decreased in the tail compared to out but the difference cannot be resolved with current observationsMagnetospheric shielding decreases the global H2 exosphere by an order of magnitude during the full Moon [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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