Albuminoid

Albuminoid is a term used in astronomy and geology to describe a type of alteration of lunar rocks, specifically those that have been exposed to the solar wind and have undergone a process of airless weathering.

During this process, the surface of the rock is bombarded by high-energy particles from the solar wind, which causes the breakdown of silicate minerals into a glassy, amorphous form. This glassy material is known as albuminoid, and it has a distinctive texture and composition that is different from the original minerals present in the rock.

The formation of albuminoid is an important process in the history of the Moon, as it provides valuable insights into the Moon's geological evolution. The albuminoid glass found on the Moon is thought to have formed over a period of several billion years, and it is now scattered across the lunar surface, providing a unique record of the Moon's exposure to the solar wind.

The study of albuminoid has also been applied to other airless bodies in the solar system, such as asteroids and planetary moons. By analyzing the composition and texture of albuminoid on these bodies, scientists can gain insights into their geological history and the processes that have shaped their surfaces.

The term "albuminoid" was first used to describe the glassy material found on the Moon by scientists in the 1960s. Since then, the term has been widely adopted in the scientific community to describe this type of alteration of rocks in airless environments.