Unlike other planets such as Jupiter, Earth has Moon as the only companion. We do not need to divide knowledge between celestial bodies and their characteristics. And yet, it still holds many mysteries. One of the most interesting is how it managed to become sock-like in the beginning, billions of years ago.
The only information available about the Moon has been obtained two main sources. On the one hand, from rock samples brought to Earth by astronauts on the Apollo mission more than 50 years ago. On the other hand, from computer modelling based on these data, as well as data obtained during some unmanned missions to study the surface and surroundings of the satellite. Perhaps with future Artemis missions we will be able to learn much more. But for now, that’s all there is.
Thanks to this, we have a rough idea of how the Moon was born. It is believed that this is so 4.5 billion years The young planet collided with Earth, and the very high energy of the impact sent large amounts of molten material flying into space. It then remained at a point near our planet, supported by its gravitational pull, and there it cooled and solidified, giving rise to a sphere that would be doomed to revolve around us for millions and millions of years. So far, so good. What Comes Next, as the authors of the new study explained in a statement, is practically one of those novels. choose your adventure.
Secrets of the Birth of the Moon
Thanks to missions studying the surface of the Moon, we know that it is covered in minerals very rich in titanium, but this unevenly distributed. Most of them are in the so-called visible face. That is, the one that always points to the Earth.
Given the manner in which it came into existence, the Moon must have been covered at the beginning of its existence. magma ocean. As it solidifies, it will form the mantle and crust of the satellite. As on Earth, the crust is the thinnest and outermost layer, and the mantle is the one directly below it. In this process, according to computer models, some of the magma will form crystals that will remain just below the earth’s crust. Among them I would highlight the formation ilmenite, a mineral composed primarily of iron and titanium. We already have titanium, but it is still under the surface.
The models also hypothesized how he managed to get out. These minerals are denser than the mantle, so they may have sunk into it. As soon as this happened, when he approached the core, They heated up and melted againcoming out through volcanic pipes.
We can say, therefore, that the Moon turned out like a sock. Whatever was on top sank in, and then came out again, even more out. So in what order did he do it? This is the secret. It is not known whether it occurred equally on the entire Moon, but it appeared only on its visible side. Or if it really first moved towards the visible side of the Moon, and then sank and surfaced. Until now, there has been no evidence that points to one hypothesis as more likely than the others. But it seems that we already have something.
Two studies that show a more likely order
In 2022, a study was published using computer models that showed there may be a large impact on the other side. pulled out all the titanium to the visible side of the Moon, so the entire process of becoming a sock took place there.
Perhaps, but more evidence was needed. For this reason, another study has just been carried out in which this hypothesis is analyzed using a new computer model, supplemented with data on linear gravity anomalies detected using NASA GRAIL mission in 2011 and 2012.
Thanks to this new study, now published in Natureit has been proven that gravitational signatures measured GRAIL Mission are consistent with modeling of the ilmenite layer based on the 2022 study. In addition, the gravity field can be used to map the distribution of ilmenite remains remaining after most of the dense layer has subsided.
In short, we no longer just know that the Moon has become like a sock. We also have much more evidence of how this happened.
Source: Hiper Textual
