Suspected volcano 'glowing' on moon as scientists baffled after discovery
Scientists have been left baffled after discovering a giant heat blob on the dark side of the moon spanning 31 miles. It's believed to come from a large deposit of granite buried underneath the surface of the moon formed by a volcano.
It has a temperature of 10C and has profound consequences for lunar research. This is considered to be very hot for the moon where the mercury can plummet to bone-chilling lows of -183C at night.
The volcanoes are similar to those on earth, with granite formed after an eruption when magma cools into the rock. Finding granite on other planets is very rare, scientists say. The moon is known for its lava fields and eruptions but never for housing a volcano. It was discovered beneath the Compton and Belkovich craters on the far side of the moon.
Dr Matt Siegler, co-lead researcher at the Planetary Science Institute, explained: “What we found was that one of these suspected volcanoes, known as Compton-Belkovich, was absolutely glowing at microwave wavelengths."
In the monumental discovery, it was also found that the heat source isn't magma but radioactive elements stuck in the rocks. The data unearthed showcases a silicon-rich surface, 20 (12 miles) kilometres wide, believed to be the caldera of an ancient volcano.
'New Nostradamus' verdict on asteroid destroying Earth and how we can stop it
This ancient volcano is the most similar to earthly volcanoes found so far. And the researchers found it using data from the two Chinese lunar orbiters, Chang’E 1 and Chang’E 2. China ’s Chang’E orbiters both carry an instrument for looking at the moon in microwave wavelengths.
Dr. Siegler continued: “We interpret this heat flux as resulting from a radiogenic-rich granite body below the caldera.” Dr. Rita Economos, a geochemist, explained that what they discovered was a 50km (31 miles) wide batholith – a volcanic rock that forms when lava rises into the crust but doesn’t erupt onto the surface.
In another outerspace discovery, scientists have discovered potential alien life on Mars. Nasa's Perseverance rover found diverse organic matter in the Jezero crater, which experts say suggests a more complex system than previously thought may have existed in the past.
A number of different explanations for the origins of organic matter on the Red Planet include water-rock interactions and biotic origins - derived from living organisms. Deposits by interplanetary dust or meteors are also being considered by scientists. According to the study, understanding more about Martian organic matter could shed light on the availability of carbon sources, with implications for the search for potential signs of life.
Writing in the Nature journal, scientists said: "Our findings suggest there may be a diversity of aromatic molecules prevalent on the Martian surface, and these materials persist despite exposure to surface conditions. These potential organic molecules are largely found within minerals linked to aqueous processes, indicating that these processes may have had a key role in organic synthesis, transport or preservation."
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
