moon’s Farside Substantially Cooler Than Nearside,New Analysis Reveals
BEIJING - Analysis of samples returned by China’s Chang’e-6 mission indicates a significant temperature difference between the moon’s farside and nearside,potentially unlocking clues about the moon’s formation and evolution. The findings, stemming from soil analysis conducted after the probe’s return to Earth in June 2024, suggest the farside’s interior is cooler due to a lower concentration of heat-producing elements.
Chang’e-6 landed in the south Pole-aitken Basin, a large impact crater known for having the moon’s thinnest crust, and utilized a scoop and drill to collect lunar material. The samples were subsequently brought back to Earth, landing in Inner Mongolia.
Researchers hypothesize the disparity in temperature isn’t related to the moon being “tidally locked” – always presenting the same face to Earth. Instead, they beleive the farside contains fewer radioactive elements like uranium, thorium, and potassium, which generate heat as they decay.
Several theories attempt to explain this uneven distribution. One proposes a massive asteroid impact early in lunar history disturbed the moon’s interior, concentrating heat-producing elements on the nearside. Another suggests the moon formed from the collision and merger of two smaller moonlets, with the current internal differences reflecting their original thermal variations.
“Understanding the origin of this lunar dichotomy is essential for reconstructing the moon’s formation history, thermal evolution and crustal development, and may have implications for understanding the origin and evolution of other planets,” stated researcher Li, according to KSL.com.
