Space metallurgy is an interdisciplinary field that combines planetary space science and metallurgical engineering.It involves systematic and theoretical engineering technology for utilizing planetary resources in sit...Space metallurgy is an interdisciplinary field that combines planetary space science and metallurgical engineering.It involves systematic and theoretical engineering technology for utilizing planetary resources in situ.However,space metallurgy on the Moon is challenging because the lunar surface has experienced space weathering due to the lack of atmosphere and magnetic field,making the mi-crostructure of lunar soil differ from that of minerals on the Earth.In this study,scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy analyses were performed on Chang’e-5 powder lunar soil samples.The microstructural characteristics of the lunar soil may drastically change its metallurgical performance.The main special structure of lunar soil minerals include the nanophase iron formed by the impact of micrometeorites,the amorphous layer caused by solar wind injection,and radiation tracks modified by high-energy particle rays inside mineral crystals.The nanophase iron presents a wide distribution,which may have a great impact on the electromagnetic prop-erties of lunar soil.Hydrogen ions injected by solar wind may promote the hydrogen reduction process.The widely distributed amorph-ous layer and impact glass can promote the melting and diffusion process of lunar soil.Therefore,although high-energy events on the lun-ar surface transform the lunar soil,they also increase the chemical activity of the lunar soil.This is a property that earth samples and tradi-tional simulated lunar soil lack.The application of space metallurgy requires comprehensive consideration of the unique physical and chemical properties of lunar soil.展开更多
New samples returned by China Chang’e-5(CE-5)mission offer an opportunity for studying the lunar geologic longevity,space weathering,and regolith evolution.The age determination of the CE-5 samples was among the firs...New samples returned by China Chang’e-5(CE-5)mission offer an opportunity for studying the lunar geologic longevity,space weathering,and regolith evolution.The age determination of the CE-5 samples was among the first scientific questions to be answered.However,the precious samples,most in the micrometer size range,challenge many traditional analyses on large single crystals of zircon developed for massive bulk samples.Here,we developed a non-destructive rapid screening of individual zirconium-containing particle for isotope geochronology based on a Micro X-ray fluorescence analysis(μXRF).The selected particles were verified via scanning electron microscopy(SEM),3D X-ray microscopy(XRM),and focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy(FIB-SEM)techniques,which showed that zirconium-bearing minerals with several microns were precisely positioned and readily suitable for site-specific isotopic dating by second ion mass spectrometry(SIMS).Such protocol could be also appli-cable in non-destructively screening other types of particles for different scientific purposes.We there-fore proposed a correlative workflow for comprehensively studying the CE-5 lunar samples from single particles on nanometer to atomic scales.Linking various microscopic and spectromicroscopic instru-ments together,this workflow consists of six steps:(1)single-particle selection with non-destructive μXRF technique,(2)2D/3D morphological and structural characterization with a correlative submicron 3D XRM and nanoscale resolution FIB-SEM imaging methods,(3)SEM analysis of the surface morphology and chemistry of the selected particle,(4)a series of microscopic and microbeam analyses(e.g.,SEM,electron probe microanalysis,and SIMS)on the cross-section of the selected particle to obtain structural,mineralogical,chemical,and isotopic features from the micron to nanometer scale,(5)advanced 2D/3D characterization and site-specific sample preparation of thin foil/tip specimens on a microregion of inter-est in the selected particle with FIB-SEM technique,and(6)comprehensive analyses on the FIB-milled specimens at nanometer to atomic scale with synchrotron-based scanning transmission X-ray micro-scopy,analytic transmission electron microscopy,and atom probe tomography.Following this technical roadmap,one can integrate multiple modalities into a uniform frame of multimodal and multiscale cor-related datasets to acquire high-throughput information on the limited or precious terrestrial and extraterrestrial samples.展开更多
Chang’e-5 explorer successfully acquired lunar regolith core samples from depths of greater than 1 m of lunar surface.This study analyzed the lunar core drilling process based on the telemetry data,image information,...Chang’e-5 explorer successfully acquired lunar regolith core samples from depths of greater than 1 m of lunar surface.This study analyzed the lunar core drilling process based on the telemetry data,image information,and returned samples to optimize the sampling device design and enhance the understanding of the lunar regolith.In particular,a prediction method for the projected drilling path and local terrain fitting of drilling dip angle was proposed based on the flight events recorded during the core drilling process and the image information acquired before,during,and after sampling.The results revealed that the drilling dip angle of Chang’e-5 was approximately2.3.,and the deviation of the drilling length and depth was less than 2 mm.For continuous drilling,a fusion method based on telemetry data and image information was applied to determine the demarcation point of drilling with and without the lunar soil.The position of the demarcation point implied that the drilling point remained at approximately 6 mm loose soil,thereby lagging the action of the force response.Additionally,a characteristic parameter comparison method was proposed for the lunar and ground drilling to analyze the status of the lunar soil.Furthermore,the analysis results revealed that the majority of the Chang’e-5 drilling samples were derived from 0–73.8 cm below the lunar surface and few samples were extracted below 73.8 cm,as the drilling encountered several rocky regions.Moreover,the drilling point exhibited two prominent stratification variations at~28.7 cm and~70 cm below the lunar surface.Ultimately,the preliminary relationship between sample dissected position in soft tube and drilling displacement was analyzed.The segmented estimation results can support research on subsurface lunar soil.展开更多
Lunar materials are overall more reducing compared with their terrestrial counterparts,but the mechanism remains to be elucidated.In this study,we present a possible explanation for the changes in redox state of the l...Lunar materials are overall more reducing compared with their terrestrial counterparts,but the mechanism remains to be elucidated.In this study,we present a possible explanation for the changes in redox state of the lunar regolith caused by impact events,based on our investigations of the impact glass beads from Chang’e-5 mission.These glass beads contain iron metal grains and show concentration gradients of FeO and K_(2)O(with or without Na_(2)O)from their rims to centers.The compositional profiles exhibit errorfunction-like shapes,which indicates a diffusion-limited mechanism.Our numerical modeling results suggest that the iron metal grains on the surface of the glass beads were generated through the reduction of FeO by elemental K and(or)Na produced during the impact events.Meanwhile,the iron metal grains inside the bead may have formed due to oxygen diffusion driven by redox potential gradients.Furthermore,our study suggests that impact processes intensify the local reducing conditions,as evidenced by the presence of calcium sulfide particles within troilite grains that coexist with iron metal grains on the surface of the glass beads.This study provides insights into the oxygen diffusion kinetics during the formation of iron metal spherules and sheds light on the changes in redox conditions of lunar materials caused by impact events.展开更多
Lunar soil preserves numerous fragments of meteorites impacting on the Moon,providing a unique opportunity to investigate the distribution of the types of projectiles over billions of years.Here we report the first di...Lunar soil preserves numerous fragments of meteorites impacting on the Moon,providing a unique opportunity to investigate the distribution of the types of projectiles over billions of years.Here we report the first discovery of an iron meteorite fragment from the Chang’e-5 lunar soil,which consists mainly of martensite(quenched from taenite),kamacite,and schreibersite,with a trace of pentlandite.The meteorite fragment is Ni-and P-rich,S-poor,and based on its mineral chemistry and bulk composition,can be classified into the IID-group,a rare and carbonaceous group of iron meteorite originating in the outer Solar System.This meteorite fragment experienced only limited partial melting followed by fast cooling,suggestive of efficient preservation of intact remnants of iron meteorites impacting on the porous lunar regolith.Alternatively,it is a relic of a low-velocity impact of submillimeter-sized metal grains originated from an IID-like iron meteorite.Our observations demonstrate that it is feasible to achieve the type distribution of meteorites impacting on the Moon via systematically analyzing a large number of metal grains separated from lunar soils,thus shedding light on the dynamic evolution of the Solar System.展开更多
基金CNSA for providing access to the lunar sample CE5C0200YJFM00302funding support from the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. XDB 41000000)+5 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 42273042 and 41931077)the Youth Innovation Promotion Association Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. 2020395)Key Research Program of Frontier Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Nos. ZDBS-SSW-JSC00710 and QYZDY-SSW-DQC028)the Young and Middleaged Academic Technology Leader Reserve Talent Project of Yunnan Province (No. 2018HB009)the Science Fund for Outstanding Youth of Yunnan Province (No. 202101 AV070007)the "From 0 to 1" Original Exploration Cultivation Project, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. DHSZZ2023-3)
文摘Space metallurgy is an interdisciplinary field that combines planetary space science and metallurgical engineering.It involves systematic and theoretical engineering technology for utilizing planetary resources in situ.However,space metallurgy on the Moon is challenging because the lunar surface has experienced space weathering due to the lack of atmosphere and magnetic field,making the mi-crostructure of lunar soil differ from that of minerals on the Earth.In this study,scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy analyses were performed on Chang’e-5 powder lunar soil samples.The microstructural characteristics of the lunar soil may drastically change its metallurgical performance.The main special structure of lunar soil minerals include the nanophase iron formed by the impact of micrometeorites,the amorphous layer caused by solar wind injection,and radiation tracks modified by high-energy particle rays inside mineral crystals.The nanophase iron presents a wide distribution,which may have a great impact on the electromagnetic prop-erties of lunar soil.Hydrogen ions injected by solar wind may promote the hydrogen reduction process.The widely distributed amorph-ous layer and impact glass can promote the melting and diffusion process of lunar soil.Therefore,although high-energy events on the lun-ar surface transform the lunar soil,they also increase the chemical activity of the lunar soil.This is a property that earth samples and tradi-tional simulated lunar soil lack.The application of space metallurgy requires comprehensive consideration of the unique physical and chemical properties of lunar soil.
基金the National Key R&D Program of China(2018YFA0702600)the Key Research program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(ZDBS-SSW-JSC007-13)+1 种基金the institute of Geology and Geophysics,Chinese Academy of Sciences(IGGCAS-202101)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(grants no.41890843,41920104009)。
文摘New samples returned by China Chang’e-5(CE-5)mission offer an opportunity for studying the lunar geologic longevity,space weathering,and regolith evolution.The age determination of the CE-5 samples was among the first scientific questions to be answered.However,the precious samples,most in the micrometer size range,challenge many traditional analyses on large single crystals of zircon developed for massive bulk samples.Here,we developed a non-destructive rapid screening of individual zirconium-containing particle for isotope geochronology based on a Micro X-ray fluorescence analysis(μXRF).The selected particles were verified via scanning electron microscopy(SEM),3D X-ray microscopy(XRM),and focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy(FIB-SEM)techniques,which showed that zirconium-bearing minerals with several microns were precisely positioned and readily suitable for site-specific isotopic dating by second ion mass spectrometry(SIMS).Such protocol could be also appli-cable in non-destructively screening other types of particles for different scientific purposes.We there-fore proposed a correlative workflow for comprehensively studying the CE-5 lunar samples from single particles on nanometer to atomic scales.Linking various microscopic and spectromicroscopic instru-ments together,this workflow consists of six steps:(1)single-particle selection with non-destructive μXRF technique,(2)2D/3D morphological and structural characterization with a correlative submicron 3D XRM and nanoscale resolution FIB-SEM imaging methods,(3)SEM analysis of the surface morphology and chemistry of the selected particle,(4)a series of microscopic and microbeam analyses(e.g.,SEM,electron probe microanalysis,and SIMS)on the cross-section of the selected particle to obtain structural,mineralogical,chemical,and isotopic features from the micron to nanometer scale,(5)advanced 2D/3D characterization and site-specific sample preparation of thin foil/tip specimens on a microregion of inter-est in the selected particle with FIB-SEM technique,and(6)comprehensive analyses on the FIB-milled specimens at nanometer to atomic scale with synchrotron-based scanning transmission X-ray micro-scopy,analytic transmission electron microscopy,and atom probe tomography.Following this technical roadmap,one can integrate multiple modalities into a uniform frame of multimodal and multiscale cor-related datasets to acquire high-throughput information on the limited or precious terrestrial and extraterrestrial samples.
基金supported by the National Medium and Longterm Science and Technology Major Special Project of ChinaYoung Top Talents Foundation of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation+1 种基金Pre-research project on Civil Aerospace Technologies by CNSA under Grant D020201the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Research on Supporting Management Strategy of Scientific Research Activities in Lunar Exploration under Grant 42142033)。
文摘Chang’e-5 explorer successfully acquired lunar regolith core samples from depths of greater than 1 m of lunar surface.This study analyzed the lunar core drilling process based on the telemetry data,image information,and returned samples to optimize the sampling device design and enhance the understanding of the lunar regolith.In particular,a prediction method for the projected drilling path and local terrain fitting of drilling dip angle was proposed based on the flight events recorded during the core drilling process and the image information acquired before,during,and after sampling.The results revealed that the drilling dip angle of Chang’e-5 was approximately2.3.,and the deviation of the drilling length and depth was less than 2 mm.For continuous drilling,a fusion method based on telemetry data and image information was applied to determine the demarcation point of drilling with and without the lunar soil.The position of the demarcation point implied that the drilling point remained at approximately 6 mm loose soil,thereby lagging the action of the force response.Additionally,a characteristic parameter comparison method was proposed for the lunar and ground drilling to analyze the status of the lunar soil.Furthermore,the analysis results revealed that the majority of the Chang’e-5 drilling samples were derived from 0–73.8 cm below the lunar surface and few samples were extracted below 73.8 cm,as the drilling encountered several rocky regions.Moreover,the drilling point exhibited two prominent stratification variations at~28.7 cm and~70 cm below the lunar surface.Ultimately,the preliminary relationship between sample dissected position in soft tube and drilling displacement was analyzed.The segmented estimation results can support research on subsurface lunar soil.
基金the China National Space Administration(CNSA)for providing the CE-5 lunar sample(CE5C0800YJFM00101GP)supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41773052,41973058,42003054,and 42073062)+3 种基金the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation funded project(2020M680155)the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDB 41000000)the key research program of frontier sciences of Chinese Academy of Sciences(ZDBS-SSW-JSC007-10)the pre-research Project on Civil Aerospace Technologies(D020201)funded by CNSA.
文摘Lunar materials are overall more reducing compared with their terrestrial counterparts,but the mechanism remains to be elucidated.In this study,we present a possible explanation for the changes in redox state of the lunar regolith caused by impact events,based on our investigations of the impact glass beads from Chang’e-5 mission.These glass beads contain iron metal grains and show concentration gradients of FeO and K_(2)O(with or without Na_(2)O)from their rims to centers.The compositional profiles exhibit errorfunction-like shapes,which indicates a diffusion-limited mechanism.Our numerical modeling results suggest that the iron metal grains on the surface of the glass beads were generated through the reduction of FeO by elemental K and(or)Na produced during the impact events.Meanwhile,the iron metal grains inside the bead may have formed due to oxygen diffusion driven by redox potential gradients.Furthermore,our study suggests that impact processes intensify the local reducing conditions,as evidenced by the presence of calcium sulfide particles within troilite grains that coexist with iron metal grains on the surface of the glass beads.This study provides insights into the oxygen diffusion kinetics during the formation of iron metal spherules and sheds light on the changes in redox conditions of lunar materials caused by impact events.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(42230206,42241152,and 42103035)the Key Research Program of Frontier Sciences,Chinese Academy of Sciences(QYZDJ-SSW-DQC001).
文摘Lunar soil preserves numerous fragments of meteorites impacting on the Moon,providing a unique opportunity to investigate the distribution of the types of projectiles over billions of years.Here we report the first discovery of an iron meteorite fragment from the Chang’e-5 lunar soil,which consists mainly of martensite(quenched from taenite),kamacite,and schreibersite,with a trace of pentlandite.The meteorite fragment is Ni-and P-rich,S-poor,and based on its mineral chemistry and bulk composition,can be classified into the IID-group,a rare and carbonaceous group of iron meteorite originating in the outer Solar System.This meteorite fragment experienced only limited partial melting followed by fast cooling,suggestive of efficient preservation of intact remnants of iron meteorites impacting on the porous lunar regolith.Alternatively,it is a relic of a low-velocity impact of submillimeter-sized metal grains originated from an IID-like iron meteorite.Our observations demonstrate that it is feasible to achieve the type distribution of meteorites impacting on the Moon via systematically analyzing a large number of metal grains separated from lunar soils,thus shedding light on the dynamic evolution of the Solar System.
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(42241109 and 42202297)Tsinghua University Initiative Scientific Research Program(20211080097).
基金We thank the China National Space Administration for providing access to the lunar sample CE5C0200YJFM00302This work was supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDB 41000000)+4 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(42273042 and 41931077)the Technical Advanced Research Project of Civil Space(D020201)the Youth Innovation Promotion Association,Chinese Academy of Sciences(2020395)the Key Research Program of Frontier Sciences,Chinese Academy of Sciences(ZDBS-SSWJSC007-10 and QYZDY-SSW-DQC028)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2022M720216).