Review of the Lunar Regolith and Water Ice on the Poles of the Moon

Abstract

Water can be trapped at permanently shadowed regions（PSRs）of the Moon for billions of years due to the extremely low temperatures. Polar exploration targeting water ice can help us understand water evolution and future resource utilization. This study reviews lunar explorations and theoretical studies about the Moon’s pole in past decades. Firstly，we introduce the geological features，illuminating conditions and thermal environment on the poles of the Moon. Secondly，we present the geological evolution of ice-bearing regolith and possible forms of water ice. Thirdly，we summarize all the methods of water detection and water distribution on the Moon. Lastly，we propose a basic standard for producing lunar regolith simulants based on measurements of Apollo samples. This study aims to present a general knowledge of lunar polar geology and provide a reference for future lunar polar exploration.

Keywords

lunar polar exploration / icy regolith / water ice occurrence / evolutionary mechanism / target feature