Lunar soil, as an in-situ resource, holds significant potential for constructing bases and habitats on the Moon. However, such constructions face challenges including limited mechanical strength and extreme temperature fluctuations ranging from -170 degrees C to +133 degrees C between lunar day and night. In this study, we developed a 3D-printed geopolymer derived from lunar regolith simulant with an optimized zig-zag structure, exhibiting exceptional mechanical performance and thermal stability. The designed structure achieved remarkable damage tolerance, with a compressive strength exceeding 12.6 MPa at similar to 80 vol% porosity and a fracture strain of 3.8 %. Finite element method (FEM) simulations revealed that the triangular frame and wavy interlayers enhanced both stiffness and toughness. Additionally, by incorporating strategically placed holes and extending the thermal diffusion path, we significantly improved the thermal insulation of the structure, achieving an ultralow thermal conductivity of 0.24 W/(m K). Furthermore, an iron-free geopolymer coating reduced overheating under sunlight by 51.5 degrees C, underscoring the material's potential for space applications.

H2O extraction from remote icy lunar regolith using concentrated irradiation was investigated under high-vacuum and low-temperature conditions. The thermal sublimation of H2O(s) from packed beds of lunar regolith simulants was quantified with and without an indirect solar receiver for average concentrated irradiations of 37.06 f 2.66 and 74.62 f 3.57 kW/m2. The indirect solar receiver increased sublimation by an average of 18.7 % f 10.4 %, despite slower heating rates due to its increased thermal mass. Different average concentrated irradiations affected the heating rates and thermal gradients within the packed bed, but the impact on overall sublimation was not statistically significant. An inverse relationship between heating rates and normalized sublimation was also observed, where rapid sublimation near the heating elements led to the formation of a desiccated layer of regolith, which behaved as a thermal insulator and further limited heat transfer, reducing the sublimation efficiency. These findings provide key insights for optimizing in-situ resource utilization technologies, contributing to the development of efficient methods for extracting H2O from lunar regolith, which is essential for sustainable space exploration.

This study investigates the effects of aerosol-radiation interactions on subseasonal prediction using the Unified Forecast System, which includes atmosphere, ocean, sea ice, and wave components, coupled with an aerosol module. The aerosol module is from the current NOAA operational GEFSv12-Aerosols model, which is based on the WRF-Chem GOCART with updates to the dust scheme and the biomass burning plume rise module. It simulates five aerosol species: sulfate, dust, black carbon, organic carbon, and sea salt. The modeled aerosol optical depth (AOD) is compared to MERRA-2 reanalysis, MODIS satellite retrievals, and ATom aircraft measurements. Despite biases primarily in dust and sea salt, the AOD shows good agreement globally. The simulated radiative forcing (RF) at the top of the atmosphere (TOA) from the total aerosols is approximately -2.6 W/m2 or -16 W/m2 per unit AOD globally. In subsequent simulations, the prognostic aerosol module is replaced with climatological aerosol concentrations derived from the preceding experiments. While regional differences in RF at TOA between these two experiments are noticeable in specific events, the multi-year subseasonal simulations reveal consistent patterns in RF at TOA, surface temperature, geopotential height at 500 hPa, and precipitation. These results suggest that given the current capacities of aerosol modeling, adopting a climatology of aerosol concentrations as a cost-effective alternative to a complex aerosol module may be a practical approach for subseasonal applications.

Previous models of microbial survival on the moon do not directly consider the permanently shadowed regions (PSRs). These regions shield their interiors from many of the biocidal factors encountered in space flight, such as UV irradiation and high temperatures, and this shielding reduces the rate at which microbial spores become nonviable. We applied the Lunar Microbial Survival Model (LMS, Schuerger et al., 2019) to the environment found inside PSRs at two craters targeted for exploration by the Artemis missions, Shackleton and Faustini. The model produced rates of reduction of -0.0815 and -0.0683 logs per lunation, respectively, which implies that it would take 30.0 years for Shackleton and 30.8 years for Faustini to accumulate a single Sterility Assurance Level of -12 logs of reduction. The lunar PSRs are therefore one of the least biocidal environments in the solar system and would preserve viable terrestrial microbial contamination for decades.

Ground level enhancements (GLEs), which occur when high energy solar protons reach Earth, are a considerable space weather hazard for aviation activities. Neutron monitor (NM) observations of these events are the key input to operational models of ionizing radiation at aviation altitudes. Similarly, the NM data is key to techniques for deriving anisotropic solar proton spectra during GLEs. A higher density of observations is desirable for both purposes. In this paper, a simple way of improving the density of observations for large events is presented: the compact neutron monitor (CNM). This monitor uses the same unleaded detectors as soil moisture sensing networks. Three years of data from the CNM located in Guildford, UK, is presented. The solar cycle variation in cosmic rays is observed, alongside 4 Forbush decreases of varying magnitude. No GLEs were observed during this time, due to a lack of any events of sufficient magnitude to be observed. A future CNM station near Lerwick, UK is briefly described in addition to the Guildford station. The implications of the observations to date are discussed in the context of GLE detection. The CNM is complementary to existing and emerging NM designs, and may be suitable for use as a reference point for the soil moisture monitoring networks. The suitability of the CNM to GLE detection can be extrapolated to the soil moisture networks in the case of large GLEs; in the event of one occurring, the data may provide unprecedented spatial resolution.

Using Aloe Vera powder (AV) at varying concentrations - 1, 2, and 3% - polylactic acid/aloe vera (PLA/AV) composite films were prepared using the solvent casting process. All of the composites were exposed to 10, 25, and 40 kGy of electron beam (EB) radiation. It was examined how the thermal and mechanical characteristics of PLA/AV films were affected by electron beam radiation. XRD, FTIR, TGA, and biodegradation (soil burial) were used to analyze the irradiation films' characteristics. The findings showed that doses up to 25 kGy increased the neat PLA's tensile strength (TS). At lower doses up to 10 kGy, the addition of AV raises the TS values (particularly at 2% concentration). It appears adding varying proportions of AV powder enhances the thermal stability of PLA/AV composites. Biodegradability showed that films with AV were the most biodegradable, while those without AV were the least.

Permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) on the Moon are potential reservoirs for water ice, making them hot spots for future lunar exploration. The water ice in PSRs would cause distinctive changes in space weathering there, in particular reduction-oxidation processes that differ from those in illuminated regions. To determine the characteristics of products formed during space weathering in PSRs, the lunar meteorite NWA 10203 with artificially added water was irradiated with a nanosecond laser to simulate a micrometeorite bombardment of lunar soil containing water ice. The TEM results of the water-incorporated sample showed distinct amorphous rims that exhibited irregular thickness, poor stratification, the appearance of bubbles, and a reduced number of npFe0. Additionally, EELS analysis showed the presence of ferric iron at the rim of the nanophase metallic iron particles (npFe0) in the amorphous rim with the involvement of water. The results suggest that water ice is another possible factor contributing to oxidation during micrometeorite bombardment on the lunar surface. In addition, it offers a reference for a new space weathering model that incorporates water in PSRs, which could be widespread on asteroids with volatiles.

This study investigates the negative impact of climate change on water resources, specifically water for agricultural irrigation. It describes how to optimize swelling, gel properties and long-term water retention capacities of Na-CMC/PAAm hydrogels for managing drought stress of Sugar beet plants through techniques such as changing the composition, synthetic conditions and chemical modification. Gamma radiation-induced free radical copolymerization was used to synthesize superabsorbent hydrogels using sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (Na-CMC) and acrylamide (AAm). The study also explored how varying Na-CMC/AAm ratio and radiation dose influence their swelling behaviour, gel fraction, and water retention. FTIR showed that CMC and PAAm components are part of the hydrogel structure. The equilibrium swelling reached a maximum value of similar to 500 g/g at a Na-CMC/AAm ratio of 60/40. High content of AAm reduced swelling because it caused increased hydrophobicity while high radiation doses up to 50 kGy increased crosslinking resulting in improved but limited swelling from 65 to 85 (g/g). After the second cycle, KOH modification reached maximum swelling capacity by introducing anionic carboxylate groups up to 415 (g/g). SEM images revealed uniform pores in an unmodified scaffold while larger cavities were formed upon modification facilitating Water absorption. Surprisingly, the improved hydrogels retained more water: about 75% even after 16 days as opposed to a 50% drop within five days in the case of unmodified ones. This hydrogel significantly enhanced shoot length by 18%, root length by 32%, fresh weight shoot by 15%, and dry weight shoot by 15% under severe drought conditions. As a result, yield increased by 22%, proteins went up by 19%, and carbohydrates rose by 13%. Leaf chlorophyll content increased with a corresponding decline in stress enzymes indicating decreased oxidative damage. This eco-friendly Na-CMC/PAAm-based hydrogel seems to have potential use for addressing water scarcity and agricultural challenges.

The Tibetan Plateau (TP) has experienced accelerated warming in recent decades, especially in winter. However, a comprehensive quantitative study of its long-term warming processes during daytime and nighttime is lacking. This study quantifies the different processes driving the acceleration of winter daytime and nighttime warming over the TP during 1961-2022 using surface energy budget analysis. The results show that the surface warming over the TP is mainly controlled by two processes: (a) a decrease in snow cover leading to a decrease in albedo and an increase in net downward shortwave radiation (snow-albedo feedback), and (b) a warming in tropospheric temperature (850 - 200 hPa) leading to an increase in downward longwave radiation (air warming-longwave radiation effect). The latter has a greater impact on the spatial distribution of warming than the former, and both factors jointly influence the elevation dependent warming pattern. Snow-albedo feedback is the primary factor in daytime warming over the monsoon region, contributing to about 59% of the simulated warming trend. In contrast, nighttime warming over the monsoon region and daytime/nighttime warming in the westerly region are primarily caused by the air warming-longwave radiation effect, contributing up to 67% of the simulated warming trend. The trend in the near-surface temperature mirrors that of the surface temperature, and the same process can explain changes in both. However, there are some differences: an increase in sensible heat flux is driven by a rise in the ground-atmosphere temperature difference. The increase in latent heat flux is associated with enhanced evaporation due to increased soil temperature and is also controlled by soil moisture. Both of these processes regulate the temperature difference between ground and near-surface atmosphere.

Alpine meadows are vital ecosystems on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, significantly contributing to water conservation and climate regulation. This study examines the energy flux patterns and their driving factors in the alpine meadows of the Qilian Mountains, focusing on how the meteorological variables of net radiation (Rn), air temperature, vapor pressure deficit (VPD), wind speed (U), and soil water content (SWC) influence sensible heat flux (H) and latent heat flux (LE). Using the Bowen ratio energy balance method, we monitored energy changes during the growing and non-growing seasons from 2022 to 2023. The annual average daily Rn was 85.29 W m-2, with H, LE, and G accounting for 0.56, 0.71, and -0.32 of Rn, respectively. Results show that Rn is the main driver of both H and LE, highlighting its crucial role in turbulent flux variations. Additionally, a negative correlation was found between air temperature and H, suggesting that high temperatures may suppress H. A significant positive correlation was observed between soil moisture and LE, further indicating that moist soil conditions enhance LE. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the impact of climate change on energy distribution in alpine meadows and calls for further research on the ecosystem's dynamic responses to changing climate conditions.