Meteorite Remnants on Moon May Reveal Water
月球新发现，陨石残余或提供水资源
Chinese scientists have found remnants of meteorites on the far side of the moon that might reveal a major source of water.
中国科学家在月球背面发现了陨石残余，这可能会揭示月球水的主要来源。
A group of researchers at the State Key Laboratory of Space Weather－which is operated by the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ National Space Science Center－said it had recently identified some “glassy materials” inside a two-meter crater in the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the moon as remnants of a piece of carbonaceous chondrite that was not entirely vaporized when it struck the lunar surface.
一批来自空间天气国家重点实验室（由中国科学院国家空间科学中心管理）的研究人员称他们最近已经把在月球远地面南面的波尔艾特肯盆地一个2米坑洞里的“玻璃状材料”确定为碳结构球状陨石的碎片，该碎片在陨石撞击月球表面时没有被完全汽化掉。
Carbonaceous chondrites are meteorites originating in the asteroid belt near Jupiter and are believed to be among the oldest objects in the solar system. Their existence on the moon may act as a source of water on the barren sphere, according to the research team, headed by Liu Yang.
碳质球粒陨石起源于靠近木星的小行星带的陨石，被认为是太阳系中最古老的物体之一。
It published the finding in the November issue of Nature Astronomy, explaining that although carbonaceous chondrite fragments have been found in samples returned by the United States’ Apollo missions, “no carbonaceous chondrite remnant had been directly observed on the lunar surface by remote-sensing exploration”.
11月份的“自然天文”杂志上发表了这一发现说，虽然在美国阿波罗任务返回的样品中发现了碳质球粒陨石碎片，但“通过遥感探测，没有在月球表面直接观测到碳质球粒陨石残馀物。
Impactors are believed to be a major contributor of water and ice on the moon. Compared with other types of small celestial bodies, carbonaceous asteroids have a higher water content, meaning water carried by such asteroids is more likely to survive vaporization and remain on the moon.
操作者坚信月球上主要条件是水和冰。对比于其他类型的小空际物体，碳星状成分含水量高，意味着由如此多星状带来的水分更可能蒸发成水蒸气而保留于月球上。
The remnants were spotted in hyperspectral images in the visible and near-infrared range taken by China’s Yutu 2 lunar rover as it observed the crater, the Chinese researchers said.
中国研究人员说，在中国玉兔2号月球车观测陨石坑时拍摄的可见光和近红外高光谱图像中发现了这些遗迹。
Liu said the finding also indicated the possible existence of meteorite remnants in younger substances on the lunar surface, such as the dirt brought back by China’s Chang’e 5 mission. Analyzing the remnants will help scientists advance their study of the composition and evolution of impactors in the Earth-moon system, and will expand their knowledge of the history of impacts in the solar system, he said.
刘说，这一发现还表明，在月球表面较新的物质中可能存在陨石残留物。比如被嫦娥五号带回中国的泥土。分析残留物将有助于科学家推进地月系统中撞击组成和演化的研究，并将扩大他们对太阳系撞击历史的了解。
The second Chinese rover on the moon, Yutu 2 has been operating for 1,065 Earth days, cementing its status as the longest-working rover on the moon.
第二辆中国月球车玉兔2号已经运行了1065个地球日，巩固了它作为月球上工作最长时间的月球车的地位。
