最新发现：月球上有玻璃！

月球上也有玻璃！7日，记者从中国科学院物理研究所获悉，通过对嫦娥五号月壤样品开展系统的物质科学研究，我国科研人员发现了多种类型、不同起源的月球玻璃物质。更重要的是，他们还在嫦娥五号月壤中首次发现天然玻璃纤维。相关研究成果在线发表于《国家科学评论》。

Chinese scientists have discovered multiple types of glass material in lunar samples retrieved by the Chang'e-5 mission, including the natural fiberglass which has been found for the first time and could provide important support for future lunar base construction, according to the Institute of Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

在荒凉贫瘠的月球表面，存在着由火山喷发、地质运动、陨石撞击等活动产生的丰富的玻璃物质。许多月球上的玻璃可以稳定地存在亿万年。月球玻璃是探索月球奥秘的重要材料，不仅保存了古老的月球物质，还记录着其形成时的环境信息。

月球表面陨石撞击、太阳风辐照等空间活动示意图。图源：中科院物理所微信公众号

此次，研究人员综合分析了嫦娥五号月壤样品中玻璃物质的形态、成分、微观结构和形成机制。他们发现，月球表面存在着固、液、气多种转变路径的玻璃起源。月球表面频繁遭受的陨石及微陨石撞击导致的矿物熔化和快速冷却，产生了各种形态的玻璃物质，包括球状、椭球状、哑铃状等旋转形状的玻璃珠，气孔构造的胶结质，流体形态的溅射物等。

The glass material which includes spherical, ellipsoidal and dumbbell-shaped glass beads, as well as colloidal items of porous structure and sputtering material in fluid form, have also been found.

By analyzing the morphology, composition, microstructure and formation mechanism of the glass material, which were originated from mineral melting and rapid cooling caused by the frequent meteorite impact on the lunar surface, researchers found that there were multiple transition ways on the lunar surface of how the glass material were formed.

嫦娥五号月壤中球状、椭球状、哑铃状等旋转特征的玻璃珠。图源：中科院物理所微信公众号

尤其值得关注的是，研究人员在嫦娥五号月壤中首次发现了天然玻璃纤维。这些具有超高长径比的玻璃纤维来源于撞击过程中黏稠液体的热塑成型。和低长径比的玻璃珠相比，形成这些玻璃纤维的液体黏度要更高，意味着对应的撞击温度和撞击速率更低。这反映了月球表面较为温和的微撞击事件。

The natural fiberglass with higher length-to-diameter ratio was formed under lower temperature and speed when the meteorite impacted on the lunar surface, reflecting milder meteorite impacts events compared with the formation of glass beads which have lower length-to-diameter ratio.

“这些天然的玻璃纤维证明，月壤具有良好的玻璃形成能力和优异的加工成型特性，肯定了在月球表面就地取材利用月壤加工生产玻璃建材的可行性，将为未来月球基地建设提供重要支撑。”中科院物理所副研究员沈来权说道。

编辑：李金昳

来源：科技日报 央视新闻 环球时报 中科院物理所微信公众号