Hold on to your hats, folks! The Chang’e-6 mission has just dropped a bombshell that’s rewriting our understanding of the Moon. Chinese scientists, using samples snatched from the far side, have determined the lunar mantle beneath that region is remarkably dry – drier than anything we’ve seen before.
We’re talking less than 2 micrograms of water per gram of rock, an astonishingly low figure published in Nature today. This isn’t just a small difference; the source region for the Chang’e-6 basalt contained a mere 1-1.5 micrograms/gram, the lowest water content ever measured in lunar samples.
This discovery throws a serious wrench into existing lunar formation theories. It suggests the far side mantle is significantly drier than the near side. Why? The leading theory points to the South Pole-Aitken Basin impact, a titanic collision that clearly had a lasting effect.
Let’s break down the science here:
The lunar mantle is the layer beneath the crust, a vital component in understanding the Moon’s formation and evolution.
Water in the mantle isn’t about oceans; it’s about the volatile elements present during planetary creation.
A lower water content suggests a different origin or a severe loss of volatiles during or after impact events.
The South Pole-Aitken Basin is the largest, deepest, and oldest known impact crater in the Solar System.
This impact could have excavated deep mantle material, exposing regions with significantly lower initial water content.
This discovery emphasizes how dynamic the Moon has been throughout its history. It also demonstrates the incredible scientific value of lunar samples. Chang’e-6 isn’t just bringing back rocks; it’s delivering data that forces us to rethink everything. This is where science gets really exciting! Expect more debate, more research, and a whole new chapter in lunar science. This mission is a game changer.
