Volcanic activity on the Moon more than 4 billion years ago

According to a study published in Nature , volcanic activity on the Moon was 4.35 billion years ago, shortly after the formation of the planet.

Two researchers Kentaro Terada of Hiroshima University (Japan) and Mahesh Anand of Open University Milton Keynes (UK) confirmed that volcanic phenomena may have started since the crust of the Moon is still in the process of forming. .

Kalahari 009 meteorite
(Photo: BBC)

They came to this conclusion after analyzing and determining the mineral age of the Moon Kalahari 009 meteorite origin. Some minerals are related to crystalline magmatic rocks from ancient eruptions on the Moon.

According to the researchers, the Kalahari 009 meteorite is the oldest historical mark of the Moon. The determination of age has been done by 5 phosphate particles found in this rock.

Other specimens on the Moon that originated from volcanoes were also brought back during the American Apollo missions in the early 1970s, but they existed 3.5 to 3.9 billion years ago. So far, it has been believed that volcanism appeared on the Moon at least 3.9 billion years.

The Kalahari 009 meteorite is a stone mass of 13.5kg, discovered in Botswana in 1999.

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