These samples provide new insight into geological history For the moonincluding the oldest evidence to date of volcanic activity there.
Researchers said on Friday that the soil sample was taken from a landing site Spacecraft The tray contains very small pieces of basalt, which are volcanic rocks, dating back to 4.2 billion years ago and 2.8 billion years ago.
This indicates a long period of Volcanic activityat least 1.4 billion years ago, on the far side during the first half of the moon’s history when it was more dynamic than it is today.
The Moon, like the Earth, formed about 4.5 billion years ago.
Volcanic activity on the Moon, Earth, and other celestial bodies involves the eruption of molten rock from the mantle, just below the crust, toward the surface.
The landing site is in the Aitken Basin (South Pole), an impact crater, an area with the thinnest crust on the moon’s surface, which may contribute to finding evidence of volcanic activity.
The Chang’e-6 probe used a small shovel and drill to extract about 1,935 grams of soil, then returned the material to Earth and landed in the Inner Mongolia region in China.
“The Chang’e-6 samples provide a unique opportunity to study volcanic activity on the far side (of the Moon),” said Zhu-Lili, a lunar science expert from the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Lee helped lead the study in the scientific journal Nature, one of two studies published Friday to detail the findings.
The samples contained fragments of various volcanic rocks, and the researchers used a radioisotope methodology to determine the age of those samples.
According to Li, “The exact timing and duration of volcanic activity on the Moon is difficult to determine and may have varied across different regions. Some small-scale volcanic activity may have occurred on the near side about 120 million years ago at the latest, as recorded by volcanic glass chains from the Chang’e-5 samples that Collected in 2020.
Lee stated that the new study concluded that basalt dating back 4.2 billion years differs in composition from basalt dating back 2.8 billion years, which means they originated from two different sources of molten rock (magma) in the mantle.
Lee added that the Chang’e-6 samples also differ in composition compared to lunar samples previously collected from the near side.
There is no evidence of volcanic activity on the Moon, unlike other places in the solar system, such as my planet The flower And the earth.
He explained to me, “The cessation of volcanic activity on Earth is due to the decrease in internal heat sources over time. Initially, the volcanic activity on the Moon was caused by the decay of radioactive elements and the heat left behind by the formation of the Moon, which generated enough internal energy to sustain mantle melting and, consequently, the occurrence of Volcanic eruptions on the surface.
He continued, saying, “With dwindling resources the heat Thus, the temperature of the moon’s mantle gradually cooled and became solid, which reduced the ability of magma to reach the surface. “The Moon’s small size compared to Earth also contributed to this rapid cooling rate, as smaller celestial bodies lose heat at a faster rate.”
He concluded his speech by saying, “Eventually, the temperature of the moon’s interior fell below the level necessary for sustained volcanic activity, which marked the end of significant volcanic activity.”
