Radon on Mars and the Moon derived from Martian and lunar meteorites
Abstract The radioactive gas radon-222, a fluid and aerosol tracer in Earth’s lithosphere and atmosphere, can also reveal subtle rock physics processes in extraterrestrial environments, such as those involving water, but remains poorly constrained in planetary bodies due to the limited number of sam...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-86842-x |
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| author | Frédéric Girault Ludovic Ferrière Carine Sadaka Íñigo de Loyola Chacartegui Rojo Rémi Losno Frédéric Moynier Frédéric Perrier Pierre-Yves Meslin |
| author_facet | Frédéric Girault Ludovic Ferrière Carine Sadaka Íñigo de Loyola Chacartegui Rojo Rémi Losno Frédéric Moynier Frédéric Perrier Pierre-Yves Meslin |
| author_sort | Frédéric Girault |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The radioactive gas radon-222, a fluid and aerosol tracer in Earth’s lithosphere and atmosphere, can also reveal subtle rock physics processes in extraterrestrial environments, such as those involving water, but remains poorly constrained in planetary bodies due to the limited number of samples available. Here we measure the effective radium-226 concentration (EC Ra) of six Martian and nine lunar meteorites to derive radon source terms for Martian and lunar rocks. EC Ra values are 0.029–0.78 and 0.045–0.80 Bq kg−1 for Martian and lunar meteorites, respectively (0.041 ± 0.003 Bq kg−1 for falls and 0.28 ± 0.02 Bq kg−1 for finds), lower than most terrestrial rocks but similar to other meteorites and terrestrial primitive basalts. The effect of terrestrial alteration on EC Ra and its temperature sensitivity are also determined experimentally. Radon emanation coefficient values are 2.1–17% (mean: 8.1 ± 2.5%) for Martian meteorites and 0.43–11% (mean: 5.5 ± 1.0%) for lunar meteorites. Mean estimated surface radon fluxes for Mars and the Moon are 0.16–0.60 and 0.33–0.44 mBq m−2 s−1 (78–280 and 160–210 atoms m−2 s−1), respectively, much lower than on Earth (21 mBq m−2 s−1 or 104 atoms m−2 s−1). Our meteorite analyses constrain radon emanation on Mars and the Moon and provide a basis for current and future in-situ measurements. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1d3bfd3717b14e5a8fae91efa169df0a |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-1d3bfd3717b14e5a8fae91efa169df0a2025-02-02T12:21:48ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-01-0115111310.1038/s41598-025-86842-xRadon on Mars and the Moon derived from Martian and lunar meteoritesFrédéric Girault0Ludovic Ferrière1Carine Sadaka2Íñigo de Loyola Chacartegui Rojo3Rémi Losno4Frédéric Moynier5Frédéric Perrier6Pierre-Yves Meslin7Université Paris Cité, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRSNatural History Museum ViennaUniversité Paris Cité, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRSUniversité Paris Cité, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRSUniversité Paris Cité, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRSUniversité Paris Cité, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRSUniversité Paris Cité, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRSInstitut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie, UPS/CNRS/CNESAbstract The radioactive gas radon-222, a fluid and aerosol tracer in Earth’s lithosphere and atmosphere, can also reveal subtle rock physics processes in extraterrestrial environments, such as those involving water, but remains poorly constrained in planetary bodies due to the limited number of samples available. Here we measure the effective radium-226 concentration (EC Ra) of six Martian and nine lunar meteorites to derive radon source terms for Martian and lunar rocks. EC Ra values are 0.029–0.78 and 0.045–0.80 Bq kg−1 for Martian and lunar meteorites, respectively (0.041 ± 0.003 Bq kg−1 for falls and 0.28 ± 0.02 Bq kg−1 for finds), lower than most terrestrial rocks but similar to other meteorites and terrestrial primitive basalts. The effect of terrestrial alteration on EC Ra and its temperature sensitivity are also determined experimentally. Radon emanation coefficient values are 2.1–17% (mean: 8.1 ± 2.5%) for Martian meteorites and 0.43–11% (mean: 5.5 ± 1.0%) for lunar meteorites. Mean estimated surface radon fluxes for Mars and the Moon are 0.16–0.60 and 0.33–0.44 mBq m−2 s−1 (78–280 and 160–210 atoms m−2 s−1), respectively, much lower than on Earth (21 mBq m−2 s−1 or 104 atoms m−2 s−1). Our meteorite analyses constrain radon emanation on Mars and the Moon and provide a basis for current and future in-situ measurements.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-86842-xRadon flux and concentrationMartian and lunar meteoritesExtraterrestrial environmentsTerrestrial alterationEmanation coefficientEffective radium concentration |
| spellingShingle | Frédéric Girault Ludovic Ferrière Carine Sadaka Íñigo de Loyola Chacartegui Rojo Rémi Losno Frédéric Moynier Frédéric Perrier Pierre-Yves Meslin Radon on Mars and the Moon derived from Martian and lunar meteorites Scientific Reports Radon flux and concentration Martian and lunar meteorites Extraterrestrial environments Terrestrial alteration Emanation coefficient Effective radium concentration |
| title | Radon on Mars and the Moon derived from Martian and lunar meteorites |
| title_full | Radon on Mars and the Moon derived from Martian and lunar meteorites |
| title_fullStr | Radon on Mars and the Moon derived from Martian and lunar meteorites |
| title_full_unstemmed | Radon on Mars and the Moon derived from Martian and lunar meteorites |
| title_short | Radon on Mars and the Moon derived from Martian and lunar meteorites |
| title_sort | radon on mars and the moon derived from martian and lunar meteorites |
| topic | Radon flux and concentration Martian and lunar meteorites Extraterrestrial environments Terrestrial alteration Emanation coefficient Effective radium concentration |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-86842-x |
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