Thermal Cycling and Dust Dynamics: Shaping Rocky Lunar Landscapes

The Moon’s airless surface is constantly bombarded by micrometeoroids, cosmic rays, and extreme temperature swings. These harsh conditions gradually break down rocks and create the fine-grained lunar soil known as regolith. Dr Markus Patzek and Dr Ottaviano Rüsch at the University of Münster are leading a team of researchers (known as the Precious Space Team) who are uncovering new details about how different types of lunar rocks respond to thermal stress and how dust behaves on boulder surfaces. Their work sheds light on the complex processes that shape airless planetary bodies over time.