Million-year solar wind irradiation recorded in chang’E-5 and chang’E-6 samples

Renrui Liu, Xiaoping Zhang (), Sizhe Zhao, Yi Xu (), Pengwei Luo, Yang Li (), Xiaojia Zeng, Chenkun Sun, Ronghua Pang, Chen Li, Xiongyao Li, Lianghai Xie, Zhiguo Meng, Qiugang Zong and Chi Wang
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Renrui Liu: Macau University of Science and Technology
Xiaoping Zhang: Macau University of Science and Technology
Sizhe Zhao: Macau University of Science and Technology
Yi Xu: Macau University of Science and Technology
Pengwei Luo: Macau University of Science and Technology
Yang Li: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Xiaojia Zeng: Macau University of Science and Technology
Chenkun Sun: Macau University of Science and Technology
Ronghua Pang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Chen Li: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Xiongyao Li: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Lianghai Xie: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Zhiguo Meng: Macau University of Science and Technology
Qiugang Zong: Macau University of Science and Technology
Chi Wang: Chinese Academy of Sciences

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract The long-term effects of Earth’s magnetosphere on solar wind (SW) irradiation asymmetry between the lunar nearside and farside, and their implications for space weathering processes, remain poorly characterized. Here, we measure exposure ages and SW-induced amorphous rim thicknesses of individual grains from the Chang’E-5 (CE-5) and Chang’E-6 (CE-6) lunar soils to derive rim growth rates. Comparative analysis of SW irradiation records from CE-5, CE-6, and Apollo (11, 16, 17) samples reveals that CE-6 grains from the southern mid-latitude farside exhibit higher rim growth rates than those from the low-latitude nearside Apollo sites. This trend aligns with simulated lunar surface SW fluxes and is consistent with the hypothesis that reduced SW exposure on the nearside, due to Earth’s magnetospheric shielding, may contribute to a persistent hemispheric asymmetry in SW irradiation. However, CE-5 samples from the northern mid-latitude nearside yield unexpectedly high rim growth rates, suggesting the potential involvement of additional local factors. The exact reasons for this anomaly remain unclear and warrant further investigation.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-64239-8

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