According to Sci-News, it is a granite rock system, a type never before found on any other celestial object in the Solar System, except Earth.
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Anomalies Unveiled on the Moon through Satellite Data – (Image: NATURE).
The structure was discovered in an area called the Compron-Belkovich volcanic complex and is believed to have formed from the cooling of molten magma, providing energy for one or multiple volcanic eruptions about 3.5 billion years ago. Previously, NASA’s Apollo missions found a few granite rock fragments believed to be of terrestrial origin. The prevailing hypothesis for the Moon’s origin is a collision between a Mars-sized planet and early Earth, with debris from both forming this satellite.
However, this new discovery suggests that the Moon must have its own granite.
“Typically, granite requires the presence of water in magma or a magma chamber for its formation. Although the Moon’s interior contains a small amount of water, it has never undergone magma chamber formation. Therefore, the discovery of this granite complex indicates some yet poorly understood processes responsible for its formation,” said Professor Timothy Gloch from Stony Brook University.
Meanwhile, Dr. Matthew Siegler, a colleague at the Planetary Science Institute, stated that any large granite rock on Earth was once an energy source for a series of major volcanic eruptions. The geographical extent of this structure suggests that there could be many similar formations on the Moon, revealing unexpected geological activity that mirrors Earth’s cycles in surprising ways.
This discovery, recently published in the journal Nature, holds the promise of significant progress in understanding the enigmatic satellite of Earth, where some previous studies even speculated the presence of life. Geological activity is one of the factors contributing to a celestial body’s habitability.