Can Humans build the underground city on the Moon?

From the first, when we are the human looked up into the night sky and looked at the moon, and comes the big question: 'Is there any creature that inhabits the Moon?'

The Moon, our Earth's sattelite. (Picture from: 
http://bit.ly/1gwELwn)

Due to the effect of pareidolia - a psychological phenomenon that tends to recognize familiar shapes in random drawings or vague - we seemed to see the shadow of a grandmother or a rabbit. Chinese people believe, the long-eared animals are mashing, making the herb of immortality for the Goddess of the Moon or Chang'e. While in the Japanese version, the rabbit was making mochi.

However, when human first set their foot on the Moon on July 21, 1969, the scientists ensure that on Earth satellites is not habitable and no one living creature that hold it there. Parched condition, extremes temperature, radiation exposure is also remarkable. But, that does not mean we did not get to stay on the Moon.

While humans are looking for the technology of a place to stay that can protect themselves outside of the Earth, the Moon actually has provided an alternative. United States space agency / National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) reveals, that the Earth's satellite is filled with big lava tubes that formed from volcanic lava flows.

Colonies on the moon have long been depicted as being on the lunar surface, like in this artist's illustration from 1984 NASA study. New theoretical research indicates that such colonies would be better off below in the moon's inhospitable surface. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1COmhUC)

The latest theory states that underground column is large and stable enough to support the structure of the city founded by the human colony in the future. In other words, humans can build settlements even the underground city on the Moon.

Data from the NASA-Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRaIL) mission states that the lunar lava tubes can reach a diameter of more than 1 kilometer. The column can support long-term exploration by humans. To be a save house from cosmic radiation, meteorites impact, and the extremes temperature of day and night transition.

The city of Philadelphia is shown inside a theoretical lunar lava tube. A Purdue University team of researchers explored whether lava tubes more than one kilometer wide could remain structurally stable on the moon. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1GPzfUQ)

Then the researchers from Purdue University presented the results of their research based on data from NASA at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference which was held on March 16 to 20, 2015.

Jay Melosh, an atmospheric and planetary science expert from Purdue University who said that the lava outskirts cooled when the hot lava fluids crashing and formed a channel-like pipe. When the eruption and lava flow stopped, is left with the cavity of the tunnel.

Southeast view across Vallis Schröteri [Apollo 15 Metric Image AS15-M-2612]. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1GPzfUQ)

"There are a number of discussions to discuss whether there is lava tubes on the Moon," he said, as quoted by Space.com on Thursday, April 2, 2015. "Some evidence, such as the long and narrow valley that observed from the surface, indicate if there is a lava tube on the Moon and its size must be very large." he added.

Skylights on the Moon are collapses that occur over subsurface voids. Skylights occur in many terrestrial lava tubes, providing access, although sometimes requiring shimming down a rope. If the skylight roof is too thin, their edges may collapse, making them dangerous places to stand. Shown here is a skylight in the Moon’s Marius Hills. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1GPzfUQ)

Meanwhile, David Blair, a graduate student of the Faculty of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planet, who led the study has examined whether empty lava tube more than 1 kilometer in width has a stable structure on the Moon. The team found, if the lava tube has a strong arch, it will be stable in widths up to 5,000 meters.

"This case will not be possible on Earth. However, the gravity on the Moon is much lower, and rocks there should not resist weathering and erosion as on Earth. In theory, a giant lava tube - large enough to sustain a city, perhaps exist on the Moon," said Blair.

Blair and his team found that the stability of lava tubes on the Moon depends on the width, thickness of the roof structure, and the pressure conditions of cooling lava. They then made a number of modeling is based on a number of variables. The researchers also made a model of a lava tube with a wall consisting of a single layer of thick, also the walls are made up of many thin layers.

The study also found, the lunar rocks and the environment in there is suitable for the application of civil engineering that used to design the tunnel on Earth. Blair added, further studies targeting to a more accurate vision about the possibility of a maximum size of lava tubes on the Moon. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | SPACE.COM]

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