【人民网】大型撞击如何塑造月球？嫦娥六号月壤再获新成果

Core Insights - The research team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences has revealed that the impact event of the South Pole-Aitken Basin led to the loss of moderately volatile elements in the lunar mantle, providing significant insights into the effects of large impacts on lunar evolution and the origins of the Moon's dichotomy [1] Group 1: Research Findings - The Chang'e 6 mission collected samples from the largest impact basin on the Moon, the South Pole-Aitken Basin, which are crucial for studying the effects of large impact events [1] - High-precision potassium isotope analysis showed that the Chang'e 6 basalt has a higher potassium-41/potassium-39 ratio compared to Apollo samples from the Moon's near side [2] - The study confirmed that the impact event altered the potassium isotope composition of the lunar mantle, resulting in potassium depletion and an increase in isotope ratios [2] Group 2: Implications - The loss of volatile components during the high-temperature and high-pressure conditions of the impact likely suppressed later volcanic activity on the Moon's far side, providing key clues for understanding the geological evolution history of the Moon's near and far sides [2]