India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission has already generated significant buzz following its successful soft-landing on the Moon. Within days, scientists were faced with puzzling moonquakes and overheating incidents on the lunar surface. However, one discovery in particular had researchers extremely excited: the presence of sulphur.
While scientists were aware of the existence of sulphur deposits on the Moon, they had previously considered them too scarce to be of any practical use. This recent finding has challenged that assumption.
Analyzing images of the Moon reveals patches of dark and white covering its surface. The dark areas consist of volcanic rock, which tend to have higher concentrations of sulphur compared to the white “highlands” material. When volcanic activity occurs, sulphur-rich rocks deep inside the Moon melt and rise as magma, eventually cooling to form these dark regions.
During this process, some sulphur escapes into the Moon’s thin atmosphere. Scientists believe that this sulphur would have made its way to the lunar poles, where the extremely cold temperatures, reaching as low as -230°C due to the lack of consistent direct sunlight, would cause the element to solidify on the surface.
This condensation theory could explain why the Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer and the LIBS instruments on Chandrayaan-3’s Pragyan Rover detected sulphur near the landing site. Further analysis is needed to confirm the findings, but initial data suggests that sulphur levels in this area could be significantly higher than those in the volcanic rock near the lunar equator.
Planetary scientist Jeffrey Gillis-Davis proposes that the unusual concentrations of polar sulphur could also be the result of ancient volcanic eruptions in the region. It is possible that meteorites carrying sulphur transported substantial amounts of the element during past collisions with the Moon.
Sulphur presents great potential for various applications in Moon exploration and potential habitation. Given the difficulties and costs associated with traveling between Earth and the Moon, as well as the associated risks, having access to abundant local resources can be a game-changer.
Jeffrey suggests that sulphur could be utilized to create waterless concrete for constructing Moon bases, as well as to produce sulphur-based solar cells, batteries, and even fertilizers for future farming operations. By redirecting the limited water supply transported to the Moon, essential needs such as drinking water, breathable oxygen, and rocket fuel can be prioritized.
Despite the challenges faced Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram Lander and Pragyan Rover in restarting their operations, the data gathered these historic spacecraft is invaluable and will undoubtedly benefit future lunar missions. When the broader population eventually makes the inevitable leap to the Moon, they will have the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to thank for these groundbreaking discoveries.