ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 data has hinted that the Moon once had a ‘Magma Ocean’, according to a study published in Nature. A magma ocean is a large layer of molten rock mostly found in the early stages of formation of planets. The analysis comes from the data of lunar soil gathered by Pragyan rover during its exploration of a 100-meter stretch on the Moon’s surface.
For the unversed, Chandrayaan-3’s rover, deployed by the Vikram lander, landed on the lunar south pole on August 23, 2023. It will mark one year to the milestone tomorrow. This moon mission explored the area where no spacecraft had landed. The theory of Magma Ocean being present on the moon backs the theory that magma formed the Moon’s surface around 4.5 million years ago.
The data also revealed that the lunar soil consists of ferroan anorthosite (FAN), a type of rock. This supports findings from earlier missions, suggesting that Moon’s crust has a uniform composition, irrespective of location. It supports the ‘lunar magma ocean’ theory that Moon’s early development involved its entire mantle melting into magma. As it cooled, the less dense FAN rose to the surface, forming the crust, while the heavier minerals sank, creating the mantle beneath it.
Notably, Chandrayaan-3 data also revealed that there is magnesium present on the lunar soil. This challenges the lunar magma ocean hypothesis. Not just this, several missions like Apollo mission samples have also challenged this theory. However, despite these contradictions, the authors of the study argue that the consistent composition of the lunar soil, along with the broader geological context, continues to strongly support the magma ocean hypothesis.
National Space Day 2024
National Space Day 2024, observed on August 23, will mark the first anniversary of India's Chandrayaan-3 mission tomorrow. The theme of this day is "Touching Lives while Touching the Moon: India’s Space Saga,". This day aims to inspire future generations by generating their interest in space science and technology.