TLP or Transient Lunar Phenomenon is a process during which the lunar surface changes in brightness or color. Such phenomenons have been reported by hundreds of astronomers and satellites. However what actually causes this phenomenon is a 400-year-old mystery.
But now an astronomer named Arlin Crotts has offered a new theory, which might crack this long standing mystery.
Generally TLPs cover a space of a few hundred kilometers and last for several minutes. This is the time when astronomers see changes in moon’s surface. Crotts has now resolved a statistical relationship between TLPs and the Outgassing events. Outgassing is a phenomenon that occurs when gases trapped beneath the surface of moon or any planet for that matter, escape and become the part of the atmosphere of that planet or moon for a brief moment.
Now Crotts has suggested that the Outgassing events on the Moon are mostly due to the escape of Radon gas and no other event can replicate that. To arrive to this conclusion Crotts correlated the occurrence of an Outgassing event to the sighting of a TLP. On studying both the events in detail he came to the conclusion that both these events occurred at the same time always. Thus he stated that the Outgassing of Radon gas from the surface of the Moon is the main reason of TLP.
Crotts also stated that this research might also lead to the optical imaging of the lunar surface in which these Outgassing events will be studied in detail. Till now the exact constituents of this gas release are unknown, however, Crotts has also hinted that the gas might contain some crucial elements, like water that might be important for future moon exploration programs.
According to Crotts, researchers have always been keen to study these Outgassing events, but since they have always considered Moon to be volcanically dead they have not emphasized any research on the same.
Via: Physorg
