If future explorers want to live and work on the moon, they should have a welcoming environment. The moon has virtually no atmosphere, so daytime temperatures on the moon can reach 260 degrees Fahrenheit (126 degrees Celsius), while nighttime temperatures can drop to -280 F (-173 C). But a team of scientists announced on July 26, 2022, that they have found pits and caves on the moon that have a permanent temperature of 63 F (17 C). It’s what scientists call sweater weather. The team of scientists included Tyler Horvath and David Paige from UCLA and Paul Hayne from the University of Colorado Boulder. They published their study on July 8, 2022, in the peer-reviewed journal Geophysical Research Letters.
Moon caves, pits and lava tubes
Scientists have known about craters on the moon since 2009. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) found over 200 craters on the moon. Horvath said: About 16 of the more than 200 pits are probably collapsed lava tubes. The Earth is also home to lava tubes, such as those that visitors can tour in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. They are formed when rivers of lava carve paths beneath lava flows or when outer crusts solidify. Mares or “seas” on the moon are ancient lava flows that have solidified into plains. Entrances to lava tubes appear as pits when the crust at the top of a lava tube collapses to a thin point. In analyzing the craters on the moon, scientists found that two of the most prominent pits have visible protrusions. They said they clearly lead to some sort of cave or void. They also believe there is strong evidence of a large cave from the overhang of a third pit. Scientists believe that some lunar craters could lead to lava tubes, similar to the one in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The moon is home to similar tunnels, left behind after molten lava flows beneath the surface. Image via Frank Schulenberg/ Creative Commons/ UCLA.
Measuring the temperature of the moon
Horvath analyzed images from LRO’s thermal camera — the Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment — to check temperatures inside the craters compared to the surface. In Mare Tranquillitatis, he studied a cylindrical cavity about the length and width of a football field. Using computer modeling, researchers were able to track temperature changes in the pit over time. What they found was that temperatures remained relatively constant at about 63 F (17 C) in the shadows. And they said any caves or pipes leading from the pit would also maintain that relatively comfortable temperature. The key to the stable temperature, the researchers said, is the protrusions. They protect shady locations from getting too hot during the day and no heat escape at night. The regions of the pit where the sun reaches bake to 300 F (148 C), even hotter than the surface of the moon. Horvath said: Because the Tranquillitatis pit is the closest to the lunar equator, the illuminated floor at noon is probably the hottest place on the entire moon. View larger. | Scientists say craters on the moon could lead to caves or lava tubes where temperatures would be comfortable for future human explorers to live and work. Image via NASA/ GSFC/ Arizona State University.
The Moon Caves are a welcoming environment for humans
The extreme temperatures on the moon make it a challenge for humans to establish any permanent moon base. A day on the moon lasts about 15 Earth days and a night lasts about 15 Earth days. This would mean that solar energy on the moon would be inaccessible about half the time. Moon caves will solve this problem, along with others. Moon caves will also provide some protection from cosmic rays, solar radiation, and micrometeorites. Paige said: Humans evolved living in caves, and to caves we may return when we live on the moon.
The best heatmap in the universe
The Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment has been mapping the moon since 2009. It has now produced the most detailed and comprehensive thermal measurements of any object in our solar system, including Earth. The researchers had to align the multiple images from the thermal camera until they had an accurate thermal reading on a single pixel. Horvath explained: Since no one else had looked at such small things with the Diviner, we found that it had a bit of double vision, making all our maps a bit blurry.
Future exploration of lunar caves
A proposed Moon Diver mission aims to send a rover to drop into and explore the Tranquillitatis pit. You can also read about the tiny PitRanger, designed to explore the pits on the moon. An artist’s concept of a PitRanger surveying a lunar pit. Image by William Whittaker/ USRA/ Carnegie Mellon University. Bottom line: Scientists have reported that the moon’s caves, shadow cavities and lava tubes have locations where temperatures hover around 63 degrees Fahrenheit (17 degrees Celsius). These would be perfect locations for future explorers to live and work. Source: Thermal and Illumination Environments of Lunar Pits and Caves: Models and Observations From the Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment Through UCLA Through NASA
Kelly Kizer Whitt
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Kelly Kizer Whitt has been a science writer specializing in astronomy for more than two decades. She began her career at Astronomy Magazine and has been a regular contributor to AstronomyToday and the Sierra Club, among other outlets. Her children’s picture book, Solar System Forecast, was published in 2012. She has also written a dystopian novel for young adults entitled A Different Sky. When she’s not reading or writing about astronomy and gazing at the stars, she enjoys traveling to national parks, crossword puzzles, running, tennis, and paddleboarding. Kelly lives with her family in Wisconsin.
