A groundbreaking study from China’s Chang’e 5 mission has revealed compelling evidence that the Moon experienced volcanic activity far more recently than previously believed. The discovery suggests that volcanic eruptions may have occurred as recently as 120 million years ago, overturning long-held assumptions that the Moon has been geologically inactive for over a billion years.
Researchers studied tiny glass beads collected by the Chang’e 5 lander and found three that were of volcanic origin. Dating these beads through uranium-lead dating revealed that they were formed just 123 million years ago, with a margin of error of 15 million years. This is relatively recent in geological terms, especially considering the Moon’s age of about 4.5 billion years.
The discovery challenges established theories of lunar geology and suggests that volcanic activity may have persisted well into the Moon’s more recent geological past. The key to this continued volcanism might lie in the heat-generating elements present within the Moon’s mantle, such as uranium, thorium, and potassium, which generate heat through radioactive decay.
The finding has profound implications for our understanding of how the Moon evolved over time. It also raises the question of whether the Moon could still be volcanically active today, with further research and modeling studies needed to determine whether the Moon is still producing magma today.
The discovery underscores the need for continued exploration and study of the Moon, with future missions planned by NASA and international partners. The finding will guide future missions as scientists seek to learn more about the Moon’s geological processes and how they compare to those of other rocky planets, including Earth.
Source: https://dailygalaxy.com/2024/09/volcanic-activity-moon-lasted-longer/