A recent study conducted by a team of researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, has revealed that a process known as liquid nitrogen cleaning of lunar dust may be able to uncover a new source of helium underground. The study, which was published in the journal Nature Astronomy, found that the process could be used to detect helium-3, a rare isotope that is believed to exist in the lunar regolith.
Helium-3 is an important resource for space exploration and could be used to power future spacecrafts and other space-based technologies. However, it is difficult to detect because it is so rare. The study found that liquid nitrogen cleaning of lunar dust could be used to detect helium-3, as the process can remove the dust particles that would otherwise obscure the isotope.
The process involves using liquid nitrogen to freeze the dust particles and then using a vacuum to remove them. This leaves behind a sample of lunar regolith that is much cleaner than before and can be more easily studied. The researchers found that this process could be used to detect helium-3 in the regolith, which could lead to the discovery of a new source of helium underground.
The study also found that this process could be used to detect other rare isotopes, such as neon-21 and argon-36, which could also be used for space exploration. This could open up new possibilities for space exploration and provide a new source of energy for spacecrafts.
The study is an important step forward in understanding how we can use lunar dust to detect rare isotopes and uncover new sources of energy. It could lead to the development of new technologies and provide us with a better understanding of the resources available on the moon. It could also help us to better understand the composition of the moon and its environment, which could help us plan future missions to explore its surface.
Source: Plato Data Intelligence: PlatoAiStream