World first as Chinese sample reveals 'young' volcanic activity on far side of Moon

First time Chinese scientists and their US collaborators were able to precisely measure the age of volcanic eruptions on the far side of the world. month.

Previously this was estimated only through remote sensing observations.

Two research teams, led by scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences based in Beijing and Guangzhou, used radiometric dating to analyze isotope decay in basalts, a type of volcanic rock that China brought to Earth. Chang’e-6 mission In June.

The studies, published Friday in the journals Nature and Science, both found that the oldest and deepest crater on the far side of the moon was volcanically active about 2.8 billion years ago.

In comparison, Apollo, Luna and Chang’e-5 Missions, all from the near side, found that volcanism on the moon occurred between 4 and 2 billion years ago.

The Nature newspaper emphasized that the 2.8-billion-year age was “surprisingly young” because volcanic activity on the far side was traditionally thought to have ended much earlier. Most volcanic eruptions were associated with the near side and were believed to cease around 3 billion years ago.

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