Core Insights - Chinese scientists have made significant progress in understanding the "ultra-depleted" characteristics of the lunar mantle material from the South Pole-Aitken basin, based on samples collected by the Chang'e 6 mission, providing crucial information for understanding the early shell-mantle evolution of the Moon [1][10] Group 1: Research Findings - The study reveals that the lunar mantle material is extremely "depleted," lacking elements that easily melt and rise with magma, indicating a unique composition of the lunar interior [4][6] - The research team has proposed two models to explain the extreme "ultra-depleted" characteristics: the "primordial depletion" model and the "post-impact modification" model [5][6] Group 2: Models Explained - The "primordial depletion" model suggests that during the Moon's formation, a massive magma ocean cooled unevenly, leading to the separation of heavy minerals to the bottom and leaving behind a depleted mantle that requires minimal partial melting to form basalt [6][7] - The "post-impact modification" model posits that the South Pole-Aitken basin's giant impact significantly altered the lunar mantle, extracting a large amount of magma and resulting in an extremely depleted state that also requires less partial melting to form basalt [6][7] Group 3: Implications - If the "primordial depletion" model is validated, it implies that the basalt from Chang'e 6 originates from a deep, undisturbed mantle, suggesting that the differences observed between the lunar front and back may be a result of later geological processes [7][10] - If the "post-impact modification" model holds true, it indicates that giant impacts can reshape not only the surface but also the internal composition of celestial bodies, providing new insights into the early differentiation of planetary bodies in the solar system [7][10]