Scientists have found traces of the Moon's mantle in the landing area of future expeditions
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- Scientists have found traces of the Moon's mantle in the landing area of future expeditions
Astronauts of future Artemis missions will be able to detect fragments of the lunar mantle directly on the surface of the Earth's satellite near the south pole. This was reported on June 22 by Science Daily (SD) magazine.
Specialists from the Center for the Study of the Origin and Evolution of the Moon and the Southwest Research Institute studied the circumstances of the formation of the South Pole—Aitken basin. It is the oldest and largest known impact crater in the solar System, located on the far side of the moon.
William Bottke, co-author of the study and director of the Center for the Study of Origin and Evolution
This pool provides scientists with a rare opportunity to study the earliest history of the moon. The collision occurred with such force that it may have ripped material from the deep bowels of the Moon, including parts of the lunar mantle.
Computer simulations have shown that the crater was formed as a result of the fall of a large object resembling a protoplanet with an iron core. The collision occurred at an acute angle, which caused fragments of the lunar crust and mantle to be ejected over vast distances and distributed around the impact site.
Analysis of gravity measurements confirmed that mantle rocks are mixed with the surface layer throughout the basin and beyond. According to the publication, subsequent impacts by smaller meteorites could have exposed these hidden deposits, making them available for collection by robots and ship crews.
Gabriel Gowman, lead author of the gravity study from the University of Arizona
Our models show that the SPA shock wave ejected enough deep material to form significant deposits that should still be available today. Most importantly, some of this material may exist in trace amounts in the regions considered for landing under the Artemis program.
Previously, it was believed that the deep matter of the subsurface is concentrated only in the central part of the basin, far from the planned landing sites of American astronauts. The new data allegedly allows us to count on obtaining mantle samples during the very first flights to the south pole of the Moon.
On June 21, the Science X news portal reported on the survival of terrestrial microorganisms on Mars and the Moon. According to the publication, yeast and bacteria living in extreme conditions on Earth have shown high adaptability in space. The scientists emphasized that microorganisms increase their ability to repair DNA damage and activate protective chemical reactions in their cells.
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