how deep in the moon is the temp. the most human?

[R1]

I read that at 1 meter deep the temperature on the moon is<br /><br />-35 degrees C<br /><br />However, since the surface temps can go colder than -200 F and hotter than 200 F,<br /><br />and considering stability is found at 1 meter (but too cold) then just<br />how deep in the moon would the temperature fluctuate in the most humanly range?<br /><br />This depth would be the amount a lunar camp would need to be covered with moon<br />soil in order to need the least amount (if any) of heating/AC ?<br /><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[R1]

Maybe it's too specific and technical,<br /><br />definitely untested, I guess<br /><br /><br />but I'm guessing about half a meter? I think anything less may not make too much of a difference, and then<br />there's different types of lunar soil in different areas, some areas, for example are high on iron, and <br />composition differences might work differently. <br /><br /><img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> I'm not crazy talking to myself, just that maybe someone might know or calculate the best amount of<br />moon soil coverage which would provide the most comfortable range or zone in the wild temperature swings <br />of the moon.<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[odysseus145]

Why .5 meters? I would think it would be warmer as you go deeper. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[generic_man]

I would assume there is some mean or median threshold of temperature stability according to the moon's overall density relative to the distance within the interior. Perhaps someone schooled in geology could shed more light on this. I would bet that Earth has such a zone of temperature stability within it's crust.

 

[JonClarke]

According to wilipedia the average surface temperature at the equator is 220 degrees K and 120 degrees at the poles. That's -50 and -120 degrees C, respectively. That would be achieved a couple of metres down.<br /><br />I think the thermal gradient on the Moon is about 2 degrees per km, so you would need to go many km down to achieve 272 degrees K.<br /><br />But for human settlements remember that not only is rock a good insulator but vacuum an even better one. So even buried habitats wourld need to be cooled. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[generic_man]

Why would a -220K temperature need to be cooled? That's pretty damn cold!

 

[enigma10]

Since the moon has no thermal activity below the surface, the nominal temperature for humans will be close to the surface. If you are looking at a surface temperature that varies between 200 and -200, and a consistant temperature of -35 at 1 meter, then an average of 65 degrees F would be found at half that distance, or 0.5 meters. The largest concern with using this is that it is entirely too small to use for keeping a consistant temperature within a submerged hud or station. There are a few things i can think of in design to utilize the temperature variance, but nothing sound yet.<br /><br /> I was thinking of a way to have the top of the hub the only part accessable to the surface, and have a completely enclosed liqued or gas convey the surface heat down to the lower hub as needed, and when the surface temperature drops, pump all of the gas or liqued to a reservoir and create a thermal vaccuum between the hub and moonrock.<br /><br /> It's in the rough stage of an idea, but at least its something. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>"<font color="#333399">An organism at war with itself is a doomed organism." - Carl Sagan</font></em> </div>

 

[generic_man]

Wouldn't radiation poisoning be more of an issue than maintaining habital temperature? You could create a bubble around a human colony but what about toxic UV?

 

[enigma10]

What protects the earth? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>"<font color="#333399">An organism at war with itself is a doomed organism." - Carl Sagan</font></em> </div>

 

[ianke]

The atmosphere and a greenhouse effect keeps our temperature moderate between day and knight.<img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <br /><br />Also the atmosphere protects against UV with the ozone layer. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

There no such temperaturer as -220K. The Klevin scale is an absolute scale, and starts at absolute zero. One degree K = 1 degree C. A temperature of 272 degrees K = 0 C, and thus 220 K = -52 C.<br /><br />Because the habitat is in vacuum which is an excellent insulator, essentially a giant thermos. It will be stuffed full of heat generating equipment - computers, life support system, communications equipment, laboratory instruments, workshop tools and people. The only heat loss will be direct conduction which, as rock is a good insulator itself, which not be hugely effective in cooling. However you would need less cooling than with a habitat on the surface, which can reach temperatures exceeding 100 degrees.<br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[R1]

thanks, everyone<br /><br /><br />yes, good detail JonClarke, it's probably degrees F<br /><br />when I read the original article myself it was a little confusing, the constant -35 degrees C<br />at 1 meter down is actually about -31 degrees F.<br />This is where the temperature is constant (and I imagigine further below too, just colder the<br />lower to a reasonable distance).<br /><br /><br />So less than 1 meter deep it's likely not constant, and at the surface<br />it varies by almost 450 degrees F between the night and the day, <br /><br />that's probably another good reason for choosing polar sites for the moon camps<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>