We calculated the cross sections of photolysis of OH, LiO, NaO, KO, HCl, LiCl, NaCl, KCl, HF, LiF, NaF, and KF molecules using quantum chemistry methods. The maximal values for photolysis cross sections of alkali metal monoxides are on the order of 10(-18) cm(2). The lifetimes of photolysis for quiet Sun at 1 astronomical unit are estimated as 2.0 x 10(5), 28, 5, 14, 2.1 x 10(5), 225, 42, 52, 2 x 10(6), 35 400, 486, and 30 400 s for OH, LiO, NaO, KO, HCl, LiCl, NaCl, KCl, HF, LiF, NaF, and KF, respectively. We performed a comparison between values of photolysis lifetimes obtained in this work and in previous studies. Based on such a comparison, our estimations of photolysis lifetimes of OH, HCl, and HF have an accuracy of about a factor of 2. We determined typical kinetic energies of main peaks of photolysis-generated metal atoms. Impact-produced LiO, NaO, KO, NaCl, and KCl molecules are destroyed in the lunar and Hermean exospheres almost completely during the first ballistic flight, while other considered molecules are more stable against destruction by photolysis.

It has long been suggested that water ice can exist in extremely cold regions near the lunar poles, where sublimation loss is negligible. The geographic distribution of H-bearing regolith shows only a partial or ambiguous correlation with permanently shadowed areas, thus suggesting that another mechanism may contribute to locally enhancing water concentrations. We show that under suitable conditions, water molecules can be pumped down into the regolith by day-night temperature cycles, leading to an enrichment of H2O in excess of the surface concentration. Ideal conditions for pumping are estimated and found to occur where the mean surface temperature is below 105 K and the peak surface temperature is above 120 K. These conditions complement those of the classical cold traps that are roughly defined by peak temperatures lower than 120 K. On the present-day Moon, an estimated 0.8% of the global surface area experiences such temperature variations. Typically, pumping occurs on pole-facing slopes in small areas, but within a few degrees of each pole the equator-facing slopes are preferred. Although pumping of water molecules is expected over cumulatively large areas, the absolute yield of this pump is low; at best, a few percent of the H2O delivered to the surface could have accumulated in the near-surface layer in this way. The amount of ice increases with vapor diffusivity and is thus higher in the regolith with large pore spaces.

Charge exchange (CE) plays a fundamental role in the collisions of solar- and stellar-wind ions with lunar and planetary exospheres, comets, and circumstellar clouds. Reported herein are absolute cross sections for single, double, triple, and quadruple CE of Feq+ (q = 5-13) ions with H2O at a collision energy of 7q keV. One measured value of the pentuple CE is also given for Fe9+ ions. An electron cyclotron resonance ion source is used to provide currents of the highly charged Fe ions. Absolute data are derived from knowledge of the target gas pressure, target path length, and incident and charge-exchanged ion currents. Experimental cross sections are compared with new results of the n-electron classical trajectory Monte Carlo approximation. The radiative and non-radiative cascades following electron transfers are approximated using scaled hydrogenic transition probabilities and scaled Auger rates. Also given are estimates of cross sections for single capture, and multiple capture followed by autoionization, as derived from the extended overbarrier model. These estimates are based on new theoretical calculations of the vertical ionization potentials of H2O up to H2O10+.

The presence of volatiles near the lunar poles is considered. The chemical composition of a lunar atmosphere temporarily produced by comet impact is analyzed during the day and night. C-rich and long-period comets are insufficient sources of water ice on the Moon. O-rich short-period cornets deliver significant amounts of H2O, CO2 SO2, and S to the Moon. An observable amount of polar hydrogen can be delivered to the Moon by a single impact of all O-rich short-period comet with diameter of 5 kin in the form of water ice. The areas where CO2 and SO2 ices are stable against a thermal sublimation are estimated to be around 300 and 1500 km(2,) respectively. If water ice exists in 2 cm top regolith layer, CO2 and SO2 ices can be stable in the coldest parts of permanently shaded craters. The delivery rate of elemental Sulfur near the poles is estimated to be 10(6) gyr(-1). The sulfur content is estimated to be as 41 high as 1 wt% in the polar regions. The SELENE gamma-ray spectrometer can detect sulfur polar caps oil the Moon if the sulfur Content is higher than 1 wt %. This instrument can check the presence of hydrogen and minerals with the unusual chemical composition at the lunar poles.