Unlocking Lunar Mysteries: Chang'e-5 Mission Sheds Light on Moon's Surface Weathering

Unlocking Lunar Mysteries: Chang'e-5 Mission Sheds Light on Moon's Surface Weathering
by Simon Mansfield
Sydney, Australia (SPX) Dec 13, 2023

In a groundbreaking development, scientists from the China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, in collaboration with researchers from Brown University and the University of Hawaii, have successfully measured the maturity index of lunar soil brought back by China's Chang'e-5 mission. This achievement marks a significant milestone in lunar research, shedding light on the space weathering processes occurring on the Moon's surface.

The lunar soil maturity index is a crucial metric used to characterize the degree of space weathering of lunar soil. It encompasses various factors, including mean grain size, agglutinate abundance, and the abundance of solar wind gases. By studying this index, researchers can gain valuable insights into the interaction between micrometeorites, solar wind, and the lunar surface, ultimately revealing the geological processes involved in lunar soil formation.

The key parameter in assessing lunar soil maturity is the Is/FeO value, which represents the intensity of the characteristic ferromagnetic resonance normalized to the total iron content in the soil. This metric is considered the gold standard for evaluating lunar soil maturity and has played a pivotal role in this groundbreaking study.

The research findings, published in the journal Icarus, reveal that the Is/FeO value of Chang'e-5 lunar soil falls within the range of 4 to 20. This places it among the least mature soils found on the Moon to date. The lower Is/FeO value indicates that the lunar soil in the Chang'e-5 mission's sampling area was exposed to the space environment for a relatively short period after its formation.

Xiao Long, a professor at the China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, commented on the significance of this discovery, stating, "This indicates that the lunar soil in the sampling area of the Chang'e-5 mission was exposed to the space environment for the shortest time after formation." He further elaborated that based on current studies of Chang'e-5 samples, the landing and sampling unit of this mission is much younger than those of all previous Apollo and Luna missions. This age difference is believed to be the reason behind the relatively immature state of the Chang'e-5 lunar soil.

Based on a Xinhua News Agency article