月球“休眠”为何还有火山喷发？嫦娥六号样品揭秘

Core Insights - The research indicates that the Moon, previously thought to be "dormant" for 3 billion years, has experienced volcanic activity during this period, as evidenced by samples returned from the Chang'e 5 and Chang'e 6 missions [1][3][4] - The study reveals that the Moon's interior still retains some heat, challenging previous assumptions about its thermal evolution [1][4] Group 1: Research Findings - The Chang'e 6 mission identified two types of basalt formed around 2.8 and 2.9 billion years ago, with distinct compositions and depths of origin: "ultra-low titanium basalt" from over 120 kilometers deep and "low titanium basalt" from 60 to 80 kilometers [3][4] - Traditional theories suggesting that late volcanic activity was linked to water-rich or radioactive heat sources have been disproven; the samples indicate that the source regions are "dry" and lack radioactive heat elements [3][4] - A new thermal dynamic mechanism is proposed, where magma is trapped in the shallow mantle due to the thickening lithosphere, leading to partial melting and subsequent volcanic eruptions [3][4] Group 2: Implications and Future Research - Analysis of lunar remote sensing data shows a significant change in volcanic heat dynamics around 3 billion years ago, shifting from a complex heat source to a dominant upward heat transfer mechanism [4] - The chemical characteristics of late volcanic rocks on the Moon's near side are similar to those of the Chang'e 5 basalt, while the far side is more akin to the ultra-low titanium basalt from Chang'e 6, suggesting compositional differences in the lunar mantle [4] - This research not only enhances understanding of the Moon's thermal evolution but also provides insights into volcanic activity mechanisms on other small, airless celestial bodies [4]