Scientists may be able to locate hidden water ice on the moon by studying how seismic waves travel through the lunar ground, according to ScienceDaily.
Researchers from the University of Maryland, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the University of Hawaii found that vibrations similar to earthquake waves could help map ice buried below the surface. Their work was published in Science Advances on July 31, 2026.
The study comes as NASA prepares for Artemis missions, including planned crewed flights to the moon’s south polar region in 2028. Scientists believe permanently shadowed craters there may hold important deposits of water ice.
According to the researchers, ice changes the way seismic energy moves through soil, making vibrations travel faster and sometimes reflecting the energy back. They said a seismometer placed in the right spot could detect those differences and help estimate how much ice is present.
The team also said future moon ice could support astronauts by providing drinking water, oxygen and hydrogen fuel, while also offering clues about how water moved through the early solar system.
