Khaberni - In an unprecedented scientific step, China has uncovered an astonishing discovery in the moon samples returned by the Chang'e-6 mission, marking the first identification of the presence of hematite and crystalline maghemite. This opens a new door to understanding the chemical and geological processes on the moon's surface.
For decades, it was believed that the moon's surface, lacking an atmosphere and having little oxygen, did not allow for oxidation processes to occur. However, samples gathered by the Chang'e-6 mission from the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin, one of the oldest and largest impact craters on the moon, proved otherwise.
A team of researchers from the Institute of Geochemistry at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Shandong University, using advanced techniques such as electron microscopy, electron energy loss spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy, confirmed that these minerals originated on the moon itself and were not imported from Earth.
This is the first discovery of its kind that directly proves the existence of hematite and maghemite in the lunar material returned to Earth, providing physical evidence that mineral oxidation is possible even in the harsh lunar environment, according to Daily Galaxy.
The scientists explained that these minerals have formed as a result of massive asteroid impacts on the moon's surface, leading to high temperatures that vaporized the surface materials, forming a transient oxygen-rich vapor cloud, allowing the iron present in lunar minerals like troilite to oxidize and deposit as hematite and maghemite.
The study also revealed that these minerals were found alongside magnesite, reflecting a wide range of oxidation states, all linked to the same impact process.
The researchers indicate that these findings not only explain how the minerals were formed on the moon but might also contribute to understanding the mysterious magnetic anomalies observed in certain areas of the basin, especially in the northwest of SPA. Hematite and maghemite are known as magnetic carriers, and their formation might partially explain the magnetic anomalies detected.
The research team says that these findings represent "fundamental sample-based evidence that clarifies the carriers and evolutionary history of lunar magnetic anomalies." Moreover, it adds a new dimension to our understanding of the moon's geological evolution, connecting field observations with remote sensing data gathered by scientists over decades.
The discovery of hematite and maghemite on the moon marks a significant milestone in space science and lunar geology, confirming the capability of future missions to uncover new secrets about Earth's closest neighbor in the solar system. This opens the door to deeper explorations to understand the history and evolution of the moon's surface and environmental conditions.
