Parts of the moon's crust were forged by large and violent meteorite impacts, according to new research published Monday in the journal Nature Astronomy.

Analysis of a lunar rock, brought home by astronauts on NASA's 1972 Apollo 17 mission, revealed the presence of minerals that can only form at temperatures greater than 4,300 degrees Fahrenheit -- the kind of temperatures generated by large impact events.

Researchers found evidence of a specific phase of cubic zirconia inside the lunar rock, a phase only produced at high temperatures. The mineral has since reverted to baddeleyite, but the signature of its cubic zirconia phase remains imprinted in the structure of the baddeleyite crystals.

Scientists were able to date the baddeleyite to 4.3 billion years ago, which suggests the moon experienced a series of large impacts during this period.

Planetary scientists have long wondered how the moon came to feature such a unique diversity of rock types on its surface. Researchers still aren't certain what drove the mixing of the moon's outer and inner layers in the wake of its formation, but the latest research suggests a period of heavy bombardment by large meteors likely played a role.

"Rocks on Earth are constantly being recycled, but the moon doesn't exhibit plate tectonics or volcanism, allowing older rocks to be preserved," Lee White, lead author of the new study and a postdoctoral fellow at the Royal Ontario Museum, said in a news release.

"By studying the moon, we can better understand the earliest history of our planet. If large, super-heated impacts were creating rocks on the moon, the same process was probably happening here on Earth," White said.

The baddeleyite grain analyzed by scientists measured less than a millimeter in length, but the tiny artifact is having a sizable impact on lunar science.

"This small grain is still holding the evidence for formation of an impact basin that was hundreds of kilometers in diameter," ROM research fellow Ana Cernok. "This is significant, because we do not see any evidence of these old impacts on Earth."

Related Links
Mars News and Information at MarsDaily.com
Lunar Dreams and more

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Chang Zheng-5B, China's Response to the US Lunar Project
Beijing (Sputnik) May 11, 2020
China is able to compete with the United States in the exploitation of moon resources. Successful testing of the Chang Zheng-5B heavy-lift rocket is an important step in this direction, Sergei Filipenkov, a Russian aviation and cosmonautics expert, said, commenting on the US Artemis Accords lunar project. China's first successful launch of the new Chang Zheng-5B heavy-lift launch vehicle on 6 May took place at the same time as the United States announced the drafting of an international agreement ... read more