In a new study, scientists have revealed that ancient collisions with asteroids actually moved the moon’s north and south nudges about 186 miles.
some NASAGoddard Space Flight Center Maryland He used computer simulations to ‘delete’ thousands of craters from the lunar surface – as if they were going back 4.25 billion years without the craters.
Their work led them to discover that asteroid impacts cause the positions of the poles to “wander” 10 degrees in latitude, or about 186 miles. To put this in perspective, the moon has a total diameter of 2,159 miles.
These traveling poles could teach scientists more about the poles, which are considered more valuable regions because of the frozen water discovered there.
In a new study, scientists have revealed that ancient collisions with asteroids actually moved the moon’s north and south nudges about 186 miles.
A team at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland used computer simulations to ‘wipe’ thousands of craters from the lunar surface. GRAIL gravity model GRGM1200B (left) and GRGM1200B (right) with 5197 crater gravity anomaly removed
Their work led them to discover that asteroid impacts cause the positions of the poles to “wander” 10 degrees in latitude, or about 186 miles. To put this in perspective, the moon has a total diameter of 2,159 miles.
NASA Godard scientist Vishnu Viswanathan, who led the study, said in a statement: “Based on the Moon’s crater history, the polar excursion seems moderate enough that the water near the poles is eclipsed and has stable conditions over billions of years.”
Asteroid impacts dig up mass and leave depressions or lower-mass pockets on the surface, but as the moon reorients itself to bring these pockets to the poles, it brings the higher-mass areas toward the equator via centrifugal force.
As NASA noted in a note blog postthis is the same force that causes pizza dough to stretch when a chef throws it and spins it in the air.
“If you look at the Moon with all these craters, you can see them in the gravitational field data,” said David Smith, principal investigator of the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter. “Why can’t I just take one of those craters and suck it up and completely remove the signature?” I thought.
Above, left: Hammer projection map centered at 270° East, showing the uneven distribution of craters with a diameter of 20-150 km. Above, right: Map of lunar gravity anomalies expanded at 650 degrees and orders
The study comes at a time when NASA’s beleaguered Artemis 1 mega-rocket (above) faces cryogenic testing this week and a possible launch attempt within a 70-minute window in September – pending multiple conditions. With a backup on October 27. 2
Artemis 3 and China’s Chang’e-7 identify areas near Shackleton, Haworth, and Nobile craters as potential landing sites (areas circled in red above). These overlapping areas are home to shadowy craters that can hold water ice.
For their work published in the journal Journal of Planetary ScienceViswanathan, Smith and colleagues studied about 5,200 craters ranging in size from 12 miles to 746 miles.
They designed computer models that would take the coordinates and width of the craters to find their gravitational signature.
They then ran simulations that removed the gravitational signals—essentially returning the clock to 4.25 billion years ago.
The study comes at a time when NASA’s beleaguered Artemis 1 mega rocket is facing cryogenic testing this week and a possible launch attempt in September within a 70-minute window – multiple conditions pending. With a backup on October 27. 2. If these dates don’t match, NASA won’t be able to try again until October. earliest 17.
In addition, the space agency recently urged China to be ‘open and transparent’ in its lunar missions, following the emergence of overlap between the two countries in potential landing sites near the south pole region of the lunar surface.
We will continue to share our plans with the world as much as we can, and we hope other nations will share theirs with us. We encourage transparency and peaceful exploration of space, according to the principles of the Artemis Agreements and the Outer Space Treaty, the American space agency previously told DailyMail.com.
Artemis 3 and China’s Chang’e-7 describe the regions near Shackleton, Haworth, and Nobile craters as follows: potential landing sites. These overlapping areas are home to shadowy craters that can hold water ice.
“As we explore the Moon, we will follow up to be transparent about all activities we describe in the Artemis Accords, operate safely and responsibly, and avoid harmful interference,” NASA said.
“There are a few things we haven’t taken into account yet, but one thing we want to point out is those little craters that people neglect, they’re actually important, so that’s the main point here,” Sander said. Goossens is a Goddard planetary scientist involved in the research.
Although researchers studying polar excursions removed the craters from the record, they were only able to remove a few dozen of the largest impacts.
“People assumed the small craters were unimportant,” Viswanathan said. ‘They may be overlooked individually, but collectively they have a huge impact.’
“As we explore the Moon, we will follow up to be transparent about all activities we describe in the Artemis Accords, operate safely and responsibly, and avoid harmful interference,” NASA said.
