The moon, Earth’s faithful companion, has long enchanted humanity with its serene presence in the night sky. Yet, beneath its tranquil facade, the lunar landscape is undergoing subtle but significant changes, as revealed by a recent study conducted by NASA for its Artemis mission.
According to the January 25 study, the moon has contracted by over 150 feet in circumference over the course of several hundred million years, as its core gradually cools. This ongoing shrinkage has resulted in the formation of faults on the lunar surface, leading to moonquakes that pose challenges for future human exploration endeavors.
Led by scientists from NASA, the Smithsonian, Arizona State University, and The University of Maryland, the study sheds light on the implications of the moon’s shrinking size, particularly in regions like the Lunar South Pole, where NASA aims to land during the Artemis III mission.
“Our modelling suggests that shallow moonquakes capable of producing strong ground shaking in the south polar region are possible from slip events on existing faults or the formation of new thrust faults,” explained lead author Tom Watters from the Smithsonian Institution.
The study utilized data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera onboard NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) to identify thousands of relatively small, young thrust faults scattered across the lunar crust.
The moon’s contraction is attributed to the cooling of its interior and tidal forces exerted by Earth, akin to the wrinkling of a grape transforming into a raisin. Unlike Earth, however, the moon’s brittle surface results in faults forming as sections of the crust collide.
While moonquakes occur relatively shallow in the moon’s crust, approximately 100 miles deep, they can last for extended periods, posing challenges for lunar exploration activities. This insight underscores the importance of considering the stability of future lunar outposts in light of ongoing lunar contraction and seismic activity.
As humanity prepares for the next chapter of lunar exploration with missions like Artemis, understanding the moon’s evolving geology and its implications for human presence on its surface becomes paramount. NASA’s study offers valuable insights into the dynamic nature of Earth’s celestial companion, shaping our approach to lunar exploration in the years to come.
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