Massive impact could be the cause of our lopsided moon
Phys.org • • science
Key Points:
- Analysis of lunar soil and rock samples from China's Chang'e-6 mission suggests a massive ancient impact altered the moon's interior, potentially explaining the asymmetry between its near and far sides.
- Samples from the South Pole-Aitken basin showed heavier potassium isotopes, indicating intense heating from the impact that vaporized lighter atoms and melted parts of the moon's mantle.
- The impact likely caused heat-producing elements to migrate to the near side, driving volcanism there, while the far side was left depleted, resulting in its thicker crust and rugged terrain.
- Researchers emphasize that this impact-induced modification of the lunar mantle may be key to understanding the moon's lopsided appearance but note that conclusions are based on a limited number of samples
