Chinese Scientists Say Lunar Volcanic Activity Lasted 900Mln Years Longer Than Thought

Lunar regolith samples delivered last year by the Chinese Chang'E-5 spacecraft allowed scientists to analyze the youngest volcanic rock from the lunar surface and conclude that volcanic processes on Earth's natural satellite lasted 800-900 million years longer than previously thought, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC) said

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th October, 2021) Lunar regolith samples delivered last year by the Chinese Chang'E-5 spacecraft allowed scientists to analyze the youngest volcanic rock from the lunar surface and conclude that volcanic processes on Earth's natural satellite lasted 800-900 million years longer than previously thought, the Chinese academy of Sciences (NAOC) said.

China launched the Chang'E-5 reentry vehicle on November 24, 2020. On December 1, it landed on the visible side of the moon, collected lunar soil, and returned to northern China on December 17. The entire mission took 23 days, and the vehicle delivered 3,8 Pounds of regolith to Earth. Some of the soil samples were then transferred to scientists from the NAOC for research.

Chang'E-5 became the first spacecraft in 44 years launched to collect soil on the moon, and China became the third country after the United States and the Soviet Union able to carry out such a mission.

"This study provides the first conclusive evidence that magmatic activity on the Moon persisted until at least two billion years ago," Li Chunlai, a researcher at the NAOC said.

Previous radioisotope dating of regolith samples that were delivered to Earth as part of the Luna and Apollo space programs, implemented by the Soviet Union and the United States, indicated that most of the volcanic activity on the Moon ceased 2.8-2.9 billion years ago. The new data sheds light on the volcanic and thermal history of the moon.