First Detailed Geological Map of the Moon’s South Pole Area Created Using Chandrayaan Data

 First Detailed Geological Map of the Moon’s South Pole Area Created Using Chandrayaan Data

Researchers, including those from ISRO, have developed the first detailed geological map of the Moon’s South Pole region using data from the Pragyan rover. The rover was deployed by the Vikram lander during India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission, which lasted nine days.

South Pole-Aitken Basin: Vikram landed near this ancient, massive impact crater, one of the largest in the Solar System.

Key Findings from Chandrayaan-3’s Lunar South Pole Exploration:

• Terrain Types: The area features a mix of undulating highlands and low, flat plains.
• Confirmation of Subsurface Magma Ocean: The data confirms the existence of an ancient ocean of molten lava beneath the surface, stretching across the entire Moon.
• Age of the Lunar South Pole: The region is estimated to be around 3.7 billion years old, roughly the same time when the first signs of microbial life appeared on Earth.
• A Common Origin with Earth: The Moon’s geochemical similarities with Earth suggest that both bodies may have originated from the same molten material, likely as a result of a massive collision between Earth and a Mars-sized body around 4.5 billion years ago.

Significance of Lunar Craters: The Moon’s craters have remained largely unchanged for billions of years due to the lack of atmospheric erosion. These craters provide essential insights into the early history of the Solar System and help scientists date geological features on other planets. Lunar craters act as natural time capsules, preserving records of space-rock impacts that have shaped the entire Solar System.

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