New developments in lunar soil research provide scientific clues to unravel the mystery of the Moon’s ‘two sides’
Lunar soil image: IC
Chinese scientists have made new progress in studying lunar soil samples returned by the Chang’e-6 mission, providing new evidence of the startling differences between the near and far sides of the Moon, which have long puzzled scientists.
Because the Moon is tidally locked to Earth, its rotation period matches its orbital period, meaning the same side always faces Earth. The near side of the Moon is characterized by vast dark basalt plains known as the lunar crescent, while its far side is dominated by bright highlands with far fewer maria, creating a striking contrast between the two sides. Why does the moon have such “two faces”?
Scientists studying the early formation and evolution of the Moon have long used the lunar magma ocean model as a basic framework. Under the model, the chemical and isotopic properties of different types of lunar magma can be explained by the mixing of different components in varying proportions after the magma ocean cooled, the Guangming Daily reported on Sartoday.
However, previous lunar samples have only been collected from the near side of the Moon, while significant differences exist between the near and far sides in their topography, composition and internal structure.
Against this background, a research team from the Institute of Geology of the Chinese Academy of Geosciences studied molten feldspathic rocks in lunar soil samples returned by the Chang’e-6 mission. Using China’s first independently developed ion probe system, the researchers conducted a comprehensive analysis to test the lunar magma ocean model and study how large impacts affect the reshaping of reservoirs in the lunar crust and mantle.
Through high-resolution analyses, the team has identified key clues to the Moon’s evolutionary history, suggesting that the stark differences between its near and far sides may be related to the ancient giant collision that formed the Antarctica-Aitken Basin.
The study found that the massive impact continued to profoundly reshape the lunar crust and upper mantle after the lunar magma ocean solidified, leading to a radical change in the material composition of parts of the Moon’s far side.
These results add to the traditional lunar magma ocean model, suggesting that the formation and preservation of the lunar crust and mantle reservoirs may vary significantly from region to region and cannot be fully explained by a single, unified model of primordial differentiation between magma and oceans.
The research provides new scientific evidence for understanding the differences between the near and far sides of the Moon, while providing new insights into the Moon’s complex evolutionary history, according to Guangming Daily.
Global Times
