Exhibition: Lunar reflections and astronaut geese- p162

Tamara Goldin

doi:10.1038/ngeo2103

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Planetary science: Wet moon dry Earth- p746

Ninad Bondre

doi:10.1038/ngeo679

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Planetary science: Water on the Moon- pp586-588

David J. Lawrence

doi:10.1038/ngeo1251

Analysis of the first Apollo samples suggested that Earth's only satellite was bone dry. Spacecraft data and improved analysis techniques now indicate that the Moon is more volatile-rich and complex than previously thought.

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Planetary science: A distinct source for lunar water?- pp74-75

François Robert

doi:10.1038/ngeo1066

The origin of water in the Earth–Moon system is an open question. Geochemical analysis of the rocks retrieved by the Apollo missions show that lunar and terrestrial water are isotopically distinct, suggesting acquisition after the Moon's formation.

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Planetary science: Lunar water from the solar wind- pp766-767

Marc Chaussidon

doi:10.1038/ngeo1616

The surface of the Moon is not totally devoid of water. Analyses of lunar soils reveal that impact glasses contain significant amounts of water, with an isotopic composition that is indicative of an origin from the solar wind.

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Planetary science: Traces of ancient lunar water- pp159-160

Erik H. Hauri

doi:10.1038/ngeo1752

The presence of water in lunar volcanic rocks has been attributed to delivery after the Moon formed. Water detected in rocks from the ancient lunar highlands suggests that the Moon already contained water early in its history, and poses more challenges for the giant impact theory of Moon formation.

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Hydrogen isotope ratios in lunar rocks indicate delivery of cometary water to the Moon- pp79-82

James P. Greenwood, Shoichi Itoh, Naoya Sakamoto, Paul Warren, Lawrence Taylor & Hisayoshi Yurimoto

doi:10.1038/ngeo1050

Water has been found in many lunar rock samples, but its sources are unknown. Isotopic analyses of Apollo samples of lunar mare basalts and highlands rocks suggest that a significant volume of water was delivered to the Moon by comets shortly after its formation by giant impact.

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Direct measurement of hydroxyl in the lunar regolith and the origin of lunar surface water- pp779-782

Yang Liu, Yunbin Guan, Youxue Zhang, George R. Rossman, John M. Eiler & Lawrence A. Taylor

doi:10.1038/ngeo1601

Over the past few years, it has become clear that the Moon's surface is not entirely dry. The direct identification of hydroxyl in glasses produced in lunar soils by the impact of micrometeorites supports the idea that water was delivered to the lunar surface by the solar wind.

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Water in lunar anorthosites and evidence for a wet early Moon- pp177-180

Hejiu Hui, Anne H. Peslier, Youxue Zhang & Clive R. Neal

doi:10.1038/ngeo1735

Water has been detected on the lunar surface and attributed to delivery by impacts and the solar wind to a dry early Moon. Spectroscopic detections of water in lunar anorthosites from the Apollo collection suggest that a significant amount of water is indigenous to the Moon.

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Remote detection of magmatic water in Bullialdus Crater on the Moon- pp177-180

R. Klima, J. Cahill, J. Hagerty & D. Lawrence

doi:10.1038/ngeo1909

The remote detection of surface water indigenous to the Moon has proved difficult because of alternative sources, such as the solar wind. Spectroscopic observations of hydroxyl-bearing materials in Bullialdus Crater by the Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft are consistent with indigenous magmatic water that was excavated by impact from the lunar interior.

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