The moon has shrunk by 45 meters over hundreds of millions of years; What is the reason?

The shrinking of the moon is a real phenomenon that experts have recently measured its hidden dimensions. Is this subtle change a threat to the future of space missions? Analysis of detailed data from NASA's orbiter shows that Earth's moon continues to undergo physical changes billions of years after its formation. NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, known as LROC, recorded numerous images in... What is the reason?

0 Posted by: Parisa Fuladi on May 24, 1405 at 09:45

The shrinking of the moon is a real phenomenon that experts have recently measured its hidden dimensions. Is this subtle change a threat to the future of space missions?

Analysis of detailed data from NASA's orbiter shows that Earth's moon continues to undergo physical changes billions of years after its formation. NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, known as LROC, has enabled researchers to analyze the geological dynamics of this celestial body more precisely than before by recording numerous images over 17 years.

What is the rate of contraction and shrinking of the moon?

Researchers led by Thomas Waters at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum have published the results of this study in The Planetary Science Journal. Calculations show that the moon's radius has decreased by about 45 meters during the last 400 to 800 million years, due to the gradual cooling of the core. This process is very slow, occurring at only 0.1 micrometers per year, which is equivalent to 6 to 11 centimeters per million years.

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The formation of faults and seismic hazards on the surface of the moon

Unlike the Earth, the Moon has a single crust and does not have separate tectonic plates; Therefore, internal contraction ends in direct cracking of the surface and sliding of rocks. Scientists have identified more than 10,000 young faults on the surface of the moon, which can be the source of lunar earthquakes. Thomas Waters says:

The number of young faults we saw in the Moon Reconnaissance Camera images was much higher than I had imagined. As the internal parts of the moon continue to cool and contract, it is expected that existing faults will expand and new faults will also form; A process that is probably still going on.

Monitoring these unstable areas will play a key role in the safety of future NASA bases and the lives of astronauts; Because sections with thinner shells have a higher seismic risk.