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Apollo 14 Astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr. assembles equipment on the lunar surface in Feburary 1971.
(POT)
In the latest, breakthrough research, scientists have found evidence of recent tectonic activity on the Moon’s surface. The study could overturn the long-held belief that the Moon is a dead celestial body with no geological activity.
Over the past few decades, seismometers placed on the lunar surface during the Apollo missions were able to detect a few moonquakes. While these moonquakes did suggest that the Moon might be still geologically active, scientists had attributed them to the Moon’s long-term cooling that causes shrinking and shaking over the lunar surface.
Now, a recent study conducted by Brown University has detected upward movement of the ridges present on the lunar surface. The images from the past Apollo missions have revealed that most of the Moon’s surface is covered with regolith — a fine powdery material. In the present study, however, scientists observed some of the spots covered with boulders, indicating the formation of a crack on the Moon’s surface.
“There’s this assumption that the Moon is long dead, but we keep finding that that’s not the case. From this paper, it appears that the Moon may still be creaking and cracking – potentially in the present day – and we can see the evidence on these ridges, “said Peter Schultz, professor Brown University and co-author of the study in a statement.
A close-up view of Apollo 11 commander Neil Armstrong’s boot and boot print in the lunar soil, showing the makeup of regolith on the moon. Basalt in the soft, powdery soil could be useful in building structures on the lunar surface.
(POT)
For the study, scientists collected data from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), which revealed some of the most recent tectonic movements of the Moon. The study indicates that some of the ridges are formed above the ancient volcanic intrusions, which are gradually moving upward. According to the research, this upward movement results in the breaking of the surface and enables regolith to settle into cracks, thus leaving the boulders exposed.
Since the bare spots on the Moon get covered by regolith quickly, scientists suggest that this cracking must be quite recent, possibly even ongoing, as some ridges are devoid of it. The researchers refer to it as the ANTS, for Active Nearside Tectonic System.
Earlier in 2014, NASA’s GRAIL mission found a network of ancient cracks in the Moon’s crust. Further, these cracks formed channels, which helped the flow of magma, leading to deep intrusions over Moon’s surface. The recent study showed that the ridges fit perfectly with the deep intrusions revealed by GRAIL.
Through the data collected by the LRO’s Diviner instrument, scientists analyzed the presence of several ridges that are free from lunar regolith. Further, the findings of the study show that these ridges are covered only with boulders — indicating recent tectonic movement which cracked the Moon’s surface.
Scientists have discovered these wrinkle ridges in a region of the Moon called Mare Frigoris. These ridges add to evidence that the Moon has an actively changing surface. This image was taken by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO).
(POT)
“Exposed blocks on the surface have a relatively short lifetime because the regolith buildup is constantly happening. So when we see them, there needs to be some explanation for how and why they were exposed in certain locations,” says Schultz.
The data collected from the instrument helped the researchers identify surfaces — covered with regolith or boulders. The observations revealed about 500 patches of bedrocks were devoid of regolith material near the lunar maria — large, dark, basaltic plains on the Moon, formed by ancient volcanic eruptions.
“This looks like the ridges responded to something that happened 4.3 billion years ago. Giant impacts have long-lasting effects. The Moon has a long memory. What we’re seeing on the surface today is testimony to its long memory and secrets it still holds, “concludes Shultz.
