The Poles of the Moon

Research Article| February 01, 2009 The Poles of the Moon Paul G. Lucey Paul G. Lucey *Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology University of Hawai'i 2525 Correa Road Honolulu, Hawai'i 96822, USA E-mail: lucey@higp.hawaii.edu Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Paul G. Lucey *Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology University of Hawai'i 2525 Correa Road Honolulu, Hawai'i 96822, USA E-mail: lucey@higp.hawaii.edu Publisher: Mineralogical Society of America First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1811-5217 Print ISSN: 1811-5209 © 2009 by the Mineralogical Society of America Elements (2009) 5 (1): 41–46. https://doi.org/10.2113/gselements.5.1.41 Article history First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Paul G. Lucey; The Poles of the Moon. Elements 2009;; 5 (1): 41–46. doi: https://doi.org/10.2113/gselements.5.1.41 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyElements Search Advanced Search Abstract The lunar poles feature a microenvironment that is almost entirely unknown to planetary science. Because of the very small tilt of the Moon's axis with respect to the Sun, craters and other depressions near the poles are permanently shaded from direct sunlight. As a consequence, these surfaces should have maintained extremely low temperatures, well under 100 K, for billions of years. There is some evidence that these surfaces act as cold traps, capturing and sequestering volatiles from the Moon and elsewhere. Most popular attention has focused on the possible presence of water ice that might be used by astronauts in the future, but the poles may offer a unique scientific resource. Possible sources for volatiles at the lunar poles range from the Sun to interstellar clouds, and if present, such volatile deposits may provide unique information about many aspects of planetary science. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.