“探月”研究成果“上新”！嫦娥六号月壤揭示月球地质演化关键线索

Core Insights - The research team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences has revealed that a major impact event approximately 4.25 billion years ago in the South Pole-Aitken Basin caused the loss of certain volatile elements on the Moon, providing critical scientific clues for understanding the impact of large collisions on lunar evolution and explaining the geological differences between the Moon's near and far sides [1][6] Group 1 - The analysis of basalt samples collected by the Chang'e 6 mission indicates that the potassium isotope ratio, specifically potassium-41, is significantly higher in these samples compared to those from the Apollo missions on the Moon's near side [4] - High-precision isotopic analysis shows that the asteroid impact altered the potassium isotope composition in the Moon's deep mantle, with lighter potassium-39 isotopes being more volatile and lost during the high-temperature and high-pressure conditions of the impact [6] - The loss of volatile elements likely made the rocks more difficult to melt, thereby weakening magma formation and volcanic activity, which is crucial for understanding the asymmetric geological evolution history of the Moon's near and far sides [6]