A recent study by NASA and the University of Arizona has revealed a surprising discovery about the Moon’s interior. Researchers found a layer of low-viscosity “goo” between the Moon’s rocky mantle and its metal core. This goo moves up and down beneath the surface, similar to ocean tides on Earth. They believe this movement is driven by the gravitational forces of the Earth and the Sun, reports futurism.com.
“Just like the Moon raises tides on the Earth, the Earth (and Sun) raise tides on the Moon,” the study explains. Published in AGU Advances, the research provides the “first measurement of the Moon’s yearly gravity changes due to tides.”
This discovery supports long-standing theories about the Moon’s composition, but it also raises new questions. How did this magma-like layer form? What exactly is it made of? And most importantly, what keeps it hot enough to stay soft and mobile?
The researchers analyzed data from NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) and Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter missions. These missions gathered gravitational data and mapped the Moon’s surface, allowing scientists to measure tidal movements for the first time on both a monthly and yearly basis.
Their findings point to a “partial melt” layer beneath the Moon’s rocky mantle, which is made of magnesium-iron silicate minerals and pyroxene.
“Only models with a softer layer at the bottom of the mantle match all our measurements,” the researchers noted.
But this raises a key question: what keeps this semi-molten layer warm and pliable? As the study points out, “such a soft layer, often thought to be partial melt, needs to be maintained.” There must be a reason why this layer stays warm enough to move.
There are still many unknowns about the Moon’s interior, but this research marks an important step forward. It opens the door to future discoveries in lunar geology.
As the study concludes, “The existence of this zone has profound implications for the Moon’s thermal state and evolution.”
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Source: https://anomalien.com/mystery-beneath-the-moon-as-strange-shifting-layer-defies-explanation/
