Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Mohsin Shaikh
On August 23, 2023, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) made history with the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon's South Pole, marking India as the first country to achieve this remarkable feat. But have you ever wondered how our Moon was formed? Let's delve into the mysteries of lunar formation and explore the theory behind it
A groundbreaking theory put forth by researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in the Nature Journal, a British weekly scientific publication, suggests that the Moon's formation can be traced back to an ancient celestial body called Theia. Theia, a Mars-sized planet, is believed to have collided with Earth billions of years ago, resulting in the Moon's birth
Key to the Moon's formation are the large low-velocity provinces (LLVPs) deep within Earth's mantle. These mysterious regions have become central to unravelling the complex process behind the Moon's birth
The discovery of LLVPs can be attributed to the study of seismic waves that traverse Earth's interior. These waves exhibited distinct behaviour, slowing down significantly as they passed through the concealed LLVPs located beneath Africa and the Pacific Ocean
The prevailing theory proposes that the Moon's formation was set in motion by a cataclysmic collision between Earth and Theia. This collision had profound implications for the early solar system
Researchers contend that the LLVPs are remnants of Theia, while the remnants of Theia's impact merged together to form the Moon, thus giving rise to these mysterious mantle structures
Lead researcher Qian Yuan experienced a transformative insight during a 2019 seminar on planet formation. He recognized the connection between Theia's iron-rich composition and the formation of the mantle blobs, marking a pivotal moment in Moon formation research
Advanced simulations have validated the theory that Theia's powerful impact led to the creation of both the LLVPs and the Moon. This achievement is remarkable given the sheer intensity of the collision
Through simulations, scientists have unveiled how Theia's impact left Earth's lower mantle at a cooler temperature than previously thought, allowing Theia's iron-rich material to settle at the base of the mantle, shedding light on energy distribution
Ongoing research endeavours aim to understand how Theia's heterogeneous material within Earth may have influenced vital processes, including plate tectonics, deepening our understanding of Earth's geological history
The intriguing concept that LLVPs may be remnants of Theia suggests an ancient origin, with the potential to unveil critical insights into Earth's earliest evolution, such as the formation of continents and the origin of the oldest surviving terrestrial minerals, offering a unique glimpse into our planet's history