Moon’s Active Volcanoes Suddenly Disappeared with Thunderous Eruptions Recently

The Moon’s volcanic past has been a subject of interest for many years, with recent studies shedding new light on its volcanic activity. The discovery of small glass pearls in lunar samples has provided valuable clues about the Moon’s volcanic history, suggesting that it had active volcanoes until around 120 million years ago.

The Significance of Small Glass Pearls

The small glass pearls, extracted from the Moon’s surface and brought to Earth by the Chinese Chang’e 5 mission, have been analyzed for their chemical composition, physical textures, and sulfur isotopes. The results indicate that these pearls are of volcanic origin, containing large amounts of potassium, phosphorus, thorium, and rare earth elements known as Kreep elements. These elements can produce radioactive heat, melting rocks in the Moon’s mantle and producing small amounts of magma.

Implications for Geophysical Models

The discovery of active volcanoes on the Moon until relatively recently imposes constraints on current geophysical models of the Moon’s interior. It also suggests that smaller rocky bodies, like the Moon, can remain geologically active for a very long time, even at advanced stages of their evolution. This finding has significant implications for our understanding of the Moon’s thermal evolution and the potential for volcanic activity on other small planetary bodies.

Comparing the Visible and Hidden Sides of the Moon

The hidden side of the Moon is distinct from the visible side, with a thicker crust, more craters, and a different concentration of certain elements like thorium. The discovery that the chronology of crater counting, established on the visible side, also works on the hidden side is a significant result, providing valuable insights into the Moon’s geological history.

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The study of the Moon’s volcanic history and the discovery of active volcanoes until relatively recently open up new avenues for research, helping us understand how long small planets and moons, including our own, can remain volcanically active. This knowledge can provide valuable insights into the formation and evolution of our solar system.

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