Chinese Chang’e 6 The mission is currently on its way to recovering samples of material from the other side of the planet. moonLet’s examine a theory about why the near and far sides of the moon are so different.
have Released on May 3rd, Chang’e 6 is expected to land in the larger Apollo double-ring impact basin in early June. Antarctica to Aitken Basin (spa). Huge SPAs provide the greatest impact of their kind. solar system, with an area of 2,400 x 2,050 kilometers (1,490 x 1,270 miles). It was formed about 4.3 billion years ago. very Early in the history of the solar system. Although Apollo is younger, it is also the largest impact site that overlaps with SPA. Apollo has a double ring structure, with the inner ring at the summit having a diameter of 247 kilometers (153 miles) and the outer ring approximately 492 kilometers (305 miles) in diameter.
Related: China’s Chang’e 6 mission enters lunar orbit to collect samples from the moon’s far side (video)
Chang’e 6 aims to bring about 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) of precious lunar material back to Earth as the first sample return mission to the far side of the moon. The other side is relatively unknown. The mystery is further deepened by the fact that it cannot be seen from Earth. This photo was first taken in 1959 by the Soviet Union’s Luna 3 spacecraft. Scientists around the world who received this photo were surprised to discover how different the far side of the moon looks from our side. Familiar with Numerous craters can be seen on both the foreground and the far side, but a vast crater is also visible on the foreground. Volcanic plain called Maria of the Mooncreating the impression of a “man in the moon” and covering approximately 31% of the entire foreground area.
The Far Side, on the other hand, is quite the opposite. Only about 1% is covered by volcanic plains.
So why was there such a difference between the front and back sides? Well, it seems like the thickness of the fabric is a factor.In fact, in 2011, NASA Holy Grail (Gravity Recovery and Interior Research) mission found that the crust on the far side is on average 20 kilometers (12 miles) thicker than the crust on the near side.
The reason for this is thought to date back to when the moon formed from debris ejected when a Mars-sized protoplanet collided with Earth about 4.5 billion years ago. When the moon coalesces from the debris around the damaged Earth, it becomes tidally locked and always shows the same face to Earth. The Earth’s surface was completely melted by the giant impact, radiating heat to the moon’s far side and actually causing itself to remain melted for longer. Scientists say rocks could evaporate on the near side and condense on the colder side, thickening the crust on the far side.
“The fundamental discovery indicates that the discrepancy in crustal thickness between the near and far sides may be the main cause of the moon’s asymmetric volcanism,” Yuqi Qian from the University of Hong Kong said in a statement. “There is,” he said.
Chen is one of the lead authors of a new study that suggests sample material that Chang’e 6 will bring back to Earth could test this theory.
The logic is:
In places where the moon’s crust is thick, such as much of the moon’s far side, magma gushing through cracks in the rock cannot penetrate the surface. In places where the Earth’s crust is thin, such as on the surface, these cracks can actually allow magma to break through and erupt lava.
SPA and Apollo Basin pose some contradictions, even though they are both located on the far side of the Moon. That’s because they penetrate deeply into the moon’s crust, and the crust is thinner at the base of these giant impact sites. Another place on the other side. Indeed, these basins have volcanic plains, but only 5% of their area is covered by basaltic lava flows. This limited amount of volcanic activity seems to contradict the idea that it is the thickness of the Earth’s crust that determines volcanic activity, a long-known contradiction in lunar science.
One other possibility suggests that the near side may contain more radioactive elements than the far side. These elements may have generated heat and caused melting of the lower mantle, resulting in much more magma and thinning of the upper crust. Therefore, more volcanic activity will occur.
Nevertheless, by landing on one of the few volcanic plains on the far side, Chang’e 6 could bring back samples to directly test such theories. In particular, the area of the Apollo Basin where Chang’e 6 will land contains a variety of materials that require investigation.
Some evidence indicates that there have been two major volcanic eruptions in this area. For one thing, scientists believe that about 3.35 billion years ago, the entire region would have been covered in magma that contained small amounts of titanium. The other, thought to have occurred 3.07 billion years ago, likely had titanium-rich magma and erupted more locally, creating the Chaffee S crater (which tragically died on Mars). (named after one of his astronauts, Roger Chaffee). Apollo 1 disaster) and spreads eastward with decreasing thickness.
New research suggests that collecting samples from near Chaffee S will provide the greatest scientific benefit. The area has titanium-rich basalts in the upper part, titanium-poor basalts in the lower part, and various ejecta debris from the impact.
“The diverse sample sources will provide important insights in solving a range of lunar scientific questions hidden in the Apollo Basin,” said Hong Kong’s co-author of the new study along with Yuqi Qian. said Joseph Michalski and their Hong Kong. his colleague Guochun Zhao and researchers from China, Germany and the United States.
These diverse samples can tell scientists something about the magmatic processes that took place on the other side of the Earth, and by comparing them with Earth-side samples returned by the Apollo missions, researchers have discovered that volcanic activity has occurred on the other side of the Earth. may provide an answer as to why it was so limited.
“Our research results will greatly contribute to the Chang’e 6 lunar exploration mission,” Zhao said. “This sets the geological framework for fully understanding the soon-to-be-returned Chang’e 6 samples, and will serve as an important reference for Chinese scientists for future sample analysis.”
The team’s paper was published in a magazine Earth and Planetary Science Letters; Keep following Space.com for the latest information about the Chang’e 6 mission.
