Moon contraction cause of seismic activity at its south pole

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The Moon is undergoing a contraction, leading to seismic activity at its south pole, a region designated for the upcoming Artemis III crew landing, according to a study funded by NASA and published in the Planetary Science Journal.

Led by Tom Watters of the Smithsonian Institution, the research reveals that moonquakes and faults result from the Moon’s cooling interior and Earth’s tidal forces.

Shallow moonquakes in the south-polar region could produce significant ground shaking, affecting the stability of potential permanent outposts. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter detected thousands of thrust faults, and the study emphasizes the importance of seismic data for future lunar activities.

One particular young thrust-fault scarp within the de Gerlache Rim 2, could have been associated with a moonquake of significant magnitude, according to the study’s models.

Additionally, the team assessed the stability of surface slopes in the lunar south-polar region and found that some areas could be prone to regolith landslides even with minor seismic activity. This finding is especially pertinent given the interest in permanently shadowed regions for their potential resources, such as ice.

Renee Weber of Nasa’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, emphasised the need for new seismic data to understand the seismic hazards for future human activities on the Moon. The upcoming Farside Seismic Suite mission will build upon Apollo’s measurements and enhance our knowledge of global seismicity.

Maria Banks, LRO Deputy Project Scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and co-author of the paper, stated, “LRO is committed to acquiring data of the lunar surface to aid scientists in understanding important features such as thrust faults.” She highlighted that the study demonstrates how LRO data assists in planning for humanity’s return to the Moon

This news has been read 540 times!