Research:

Our latest study analyzes the stability of thousands of lava tube cross-sections with irregular geometry under lunar conditions. Results show that while commonly used unimodal probability functions describe gravity multipliers well, collapse areas in layered roofs follow bi-modal distributions. The study also explores how factors like roof type, internal friction angle, autocorrelation, and rock tensile strength affect structural stability. The paper was recently published in Geoscience Frontiers – the full version is available [here]. A graphical abstract is provided below.

In our work, we continue the previously chosen direction—analyzing the impact of roof layering on the stability and collapse geometry of potential lava tubes under lunar conditions. Here is the full version of the abstract.

We found that lunar lava tubes with layered roofs are less stable compared to those made of solid rock. When parts of these roofs collapse, rock slices can break off, exposing layers of paleoregolith underneath. However, accessing these layers won’t be easy—our analyses suggest large amounts of debris and boulders inside the tubes, which will require special technology to navigate. We also discovered that the strength between the layers in the roof plays an important role in the geometry of these collapses. Check out our full open-access paper for more details.