Scientists detect possible lunar lava tubes by first spotting pits that may be skylights, then looking for supporting evidence from radar and gravity data. Each method reveals something different: images show the surface, radar can hint at buried boundaries, and gravity can test for missing mass. Together, they can strengthen the case for a cave or tube—but they have not mapped every passage or directly surveyed a complete lunar lava tube.
What counts as evidence of a lunar lava tube?
A lava tube is a subsurface channel formed by flowing lava. If its roof collapses, the opening can appear at the surface as a pit or skylight. But the opening alone does not show whether a passage continues underground, how far it extends, or whether it remains intact.
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Scientists therefore distinguish between finding a candidate opening, inferring a nearby void, and mapping a continuous tube. Orbital observations can contribute evidence for the first two; the cited studies do not document a mission that entered and surveyed a lunar tube from inside.
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1. Identify pits in orbital images
High-resolution spacecraft images reveal holes and pits in volcanic terrain. Their shape and exposed walls can make a pit a candidate skylight. In 2009, researchers analyzing images from SELENE (Kaguya)’s Terrain Camera and Multi-band Imager reported a vertical lunar hole as a possible lava-tube skylight. The wording is important: a surface feature is a clue, not proof of a long, open channel below it. Haruyama et al., 2009.
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Images can also expose layers in a pit’s walls and floor. Those visible rocks can help researchers investigate volcanic history even when the underground connection is unknown.
2. Use radar echoes to probe below the surface
A radar sounder sends radio energy toward the ground and records the returning echoes. Differences in echo strength and timing can point to boundaries beneath the surface, but radar does not produce a direct photograph of a cave.
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In 2017, researchers examined data from SELENE/Kaguya’s Lunar Radar Sounder near Marius Hills Hole. They reported a sharp decrease in echo power followed by a second echo peak, interpreting the pattern as possible evidence for an intact lava tube. The study discussed echoes from depths of tens to hundreds of metres, while also noting limits in radar suitability for features deeper than a few tens of metres in the relevant data and the difficulty of identifying which boundary produced a given echo. Kaku et al., 2017.
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JAXA summarized the result as candidate sites for significant intact tubes, not as an interior survey. The distinction matters: the signal supports an interpretation of subsurface structure, but does not establish a complete tube’s route or dimensions. JAXA/ISAS, 2017.
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3. Look for a gravity deficit
An empty tube contains less mass than the surrounding solid rock, so it could affect the local gravity field. NASA’s GRAIL mission measured lunar gravity, and researchers studied whether its data could reveal large voids. Chappaz and colleagues illustrated the challenge: for a 1-kilometre-diameter empty tube, the expected signal would be only a few milligals at an altitude of 10 kilometres. Other geological structures can also create gravity anomalies, making it difficult to isolate a tube’s contribution. Chappaz et al., 2017.
4. Compare independent clues
Researchers can compare the position and shape of a candidate pit with radar and gravity observations. Agreement among independent measurements can strengthen a hypothesis, but no one method removes all ambiguity. A pit may reveal geology at the surface; radar may suggest a buried boundary; gravity may test for a mass deficit. These are complementary observations, not interchangeable proof.
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What each observation can—and cannot—show
| Method | Measures | Can contribute | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orbital imaging | Surface shape, shadows, and exposed walls and floors | Finds pits and candidate skylights; reveals exposed geology | A pit alone does not reveal the full extent of an underground passage. Haruyama et al., 2009. |
| Radar sounding | Returned radio echoes from subsurface boundaries | Suggests buried interfaces or voids near a candidate | Echoes are indirect, and depth limits and signal interpretation constrain what can be inferred. Kaku et al., 2017. |
| Gravity analysis | Variations in the Moon’s gravity field | Tests for a subsurface mass deficit | The expected signal may be small and can be confused with other structures. Chappaz et al., 2017. |
| Thermal observations and modeling | Surface temperatures and modeled conditions in shaded pits | Characterizes pit environments | Temperature modeling by itself does not establish a connection to a lava tube. NASA, 2022. |
What newer radar observations add
NASA reported in 2024 that scientists reanalyzed Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Mini-RF radar data collected in 2010 and found evidence of a cave extending more than 200 feet from the base of a pit. This supports the presence of a subsurface cave connected to a lunar pit. It does not establish that a full, large lava-tube network has been mapped. NASA Science, 2024.
What temperature studies tell us about pits
LRO thermal measurements and computer modeling have helped characterize shaded lunar pits. NASA reported in 2022 that shaded locations within pits hover around 63°F (about 17°C), based on LRO data and modeling. That figure describes modeled pit conditions; it is not a direct temperature measurement inside a confirmed lava tube, nor does it prove that a particular pit connects to one. NASA, 2022.
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