New revelations from China’s Chang’e 6 mission have confirmed a long-suspected lunar anomaly: the Moon’s hidden far side possesses a much cooler interior compared to its Earth-facing near side. This discovery deepens an enduring lunar mystery. Samples recently collected from the South Pole–Aitken basin indicate that these far-side rocks formed at temperatures approximately 180°F lower than those from the near side, previously gathered by NASA’s Apollo missions. Scientists believe this significant temperature discrepancy offers the first concrete evidence that the Moon’s interior is not uniformly composed. Furthermore, this finding has the potential to reshape our understanding of how vital heat-producing elements influenced lunar evolution billions of years ago.
Unraveling the Mystery: Element Distribution and Ancient Impacts
According to a report in Nature Geoscience, the rock fragments retrieved by Chang’e 6 are estimated to be around 2.8 billion years old. These samples were formed as hot lava from the Moon’s deep interior gradually cooled and solidified. To decipher their origins, scientists employed sophisticated computer models alongside satellite data. This allowed them to reconstruct the original formation temperatures of these ancient rocks. The analysis suggests that the far side of the Moon may have a scarcity of radioactive elements like uranium, thorium, and potassium. It is hypothesized that these heat-generating components migrated towards the near side early in the Moon’s history, enriching that hemisphere with heat.
Experts theorize that this uneven distribution of elements caused the near side of the Moon to remain hotter for an extended period, leading to more volcanic activity and a smoother surface. Conversely, the cooler far side retained more impact craters and rugged mountain ranges. This thermal imbalance is thought to be a consequence of massive asteroid impacts, potentially the uneven merging of a smaller companion moon, or even the Earth’s gravitational influence on the distribution of elements within the Moon’s interior.
These compelling findings provide fresh clues to one’s of the Moon’s most profound enigmas. They highlight that the fundamental differences between its near and far sides extend far beyond the surface, reaching deep into its core.