Chinese geologists have found the most logical explanation for the abnormal late volcanic activity of the moon. The difference between the rock samples brought to Earth by the Apollo and the Chang'e-5 mission helped them.
Chang'e-5 mission was specially sent to an area that is said to be abnormally young to solidify lava flow. The picture shows the lunar basalt sample brought to Earth by the Apollo 15 mission
Volcanic activity on our planet's natural satellite is a very interesting topic for scientists. Now there will be no eruptions on the moon and in fact, its intestines have been frozen. But that's not always the case. Most importantly, when volcanic activities stopped in the past, the internal structure of the moon and its formation process can be judged.
According to the most well-founded statement, volcanic activity on the moon almost stopped around 280-29 million years ago. In addition, data obtained by the US Apollo Project and the Soviet Moon Series probes confirm this. However, China's 2020 Chang'e-5 unmanned mission transported lunar soil samples to the earth, including volcanic rocks 2.03 billion years ago.
needs to explain in some way such a significant gap in in chronology. Simply put, the logic of Chinese scientists is roughly as follows. Eruption requires lava , that is, high temperature and high pressure in the intestine. For nearly a billion years, the moon has been unable to maintain a constant temperature in the mantle. There is an assumption that the decay heating of the high-water content rock radionuclide is refuted by data from the same mission of Chang'e-5. Only one option is left - the basalt collected by Chinese instruments has a lower melting point.
The internal structure of the modern moon (almost has not changed in the past 2 billion years) - only the outer core is in liquid state, and the lower mantle is partially melted. Most of the remaining substances have long been crystallized.
This hypothesis was tested by experts from Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IGGCAS). They conducted a series of experiments on melting under the conditions of simulated html January mantle , as well as partial crystallization of basalt fragments in samples mined by Chang'e-5 drilling rig. They then compared the data to similar experiments performed by soil obtained by American astronauts.
It turns out that in areas where Apollo staff work, the average melting point of basalt is 80 degrees higher. The rocks obtained by Chang'e-5 showed good fusion. This difference is due to the high concentration of calcium oxide and titanium dioxide in basalt collected by Chinese instruments. The results and detailed description of the study were published in the peer-reviewed journal " Scientific Advances ".
Therefore, late volcanic activity can be explained by the existence of lava rocks in the moon mantle. About 3 billion years ago, the satellite internally cooled to a temperature close to the crystallization point of magma . Refractory lava stones have been solidified and appear less and less on the surface. Obviously, the soil collected by Chang'e 5 is the last evidence of eruptions on the moon, and later even the most fusible magma cooled down and turned into basalt. This assumption cannot be considered 100% proven; it requires additional data. But so far, this is the most logical and complete explanation of this late volcanic activity on the moon.
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