Lunar Volcanism on the Far Side of the Moon

• 18 Nov 2024

Source: HT 

Why in News?

A new study published in the journal Nature and Science reveals that volcanic eruptions occurred on the moon's far side, based on samples from China’s Chang’e-6 mission, shedding light on lunar geology. 

What are the Key Findings of the Study? 

• The Moon's far side, like the near side, experienced volcanic eruptions billions of years ago, with rock fragments dating back 2.8 to 4.2 billion years, confirming widespread lunar volcanism.  
  • Data from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)  Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and prior studies had hinted at volcanic activity on the far side, but this study offers the first physical evidence.  
• These eruptions lasted over a billion years, and future research aims to understand the duration and causes. 
• The far side is less flat and lacks the large lava plains seen on the near side, which raises questions about why the two sides have such different geological features. 
• These findings are significant as they enhance understanding of the Moon’s geological history and may explain the differences between the far side and the near side. 

Far Side of the Moon 

• The moon is tidally locked to Earth, meaning it takes 27.3 days to rotate once and the same time to orbit Earth. This causes the same side of the Moon to always face Earth, while the other side, known as the far side, remains hidden. 

What is China’s Chang’e-6 Mission? 

• Chang’e Program: Named after the Chinese goddess of the moon, the Chang’e missions are part of China's Lunar Exploration Program (CLEP), initiated in 2003 by the China National Space Administration (CNSA). 
  • The Chang’e series aims to deepen understanding of the moon and its geological history. 
• Mission Phases:

Mission	Year	Key Achievements
Chang’e 1	2007	Created a comprehensive map of the moon’s surface.
Chang’e 2	2010	Launched phase I of the moon missions, equipped with a better camera to support future missions.
Chang’e 3	2013	Successfully landed a rover on the moon’s near side, marking the start of phase II.
Chang’e 4	2019	Achieved the first soft landing on the moon’s far side, exploring this mysterious region.
Chang’e 5	2020	Deployed a lander on the near side, returned lunar soil samples to Earth, marking the start of phase III.
Chang’e 6	2023	Continuing phase III, it returned to Earth with lunar samples from the far side of the moon and it aims to investigate the differences between the near and far sides.

India’s Far Side Lunar Plans: India plans to launch the Chandrayaan-4 lunar sample-return mission in 2028 but has no current plans to explore the far side of the moon. However, as a signatory of the Artemis Accords, India is expected to collaborate on future lunar exploration missions. 

 

UPSC Civil Service Examination, Previous Year Questions(PYQs) 

Q. Selene-1, the lunar orbiter mission belongs to which one of the following? (2008)

(a) China 
(b) European Union 
(c) Japan 
(d) USA 

Ans: (c) 

Q.2 What is the purpose of the US Space Agency’s Themis Mission, which was recently in the news? (2008) 

(a) To study the possibility of life on Mars 
(b) To study the satellites of Saturn 
(c) To study the colourful display of high latitude skies 
(d) To build a space laboratory to study the stellar explosions 

Ans: (c) 

Which one of the following planets has largest number of natural satellites or moons? (2009)

(a) Jupiter 
(b) Mars  
(c) Saturn  
(d) Venus 

Ans: (a) 

Q. Tides occur in the oceans and seas due to which among the following? (2015)

1. Gravitational force of the Sun 
2. Gravitational force of the Moon 
3. Centrifugal force of the Earth 

Select the correct answer using the code given below: 

(a) 1 only 
(b) 2 and 3 only 
(c) 1 and 3 only 
(d) 1, 2 and 3 

Ans: (d)