What if the moon formed in a few hours?

What if the moon formed in a few hours? This is what a new simulation suggests.

our the moon It was always part of the decor, so to speak. However, it is still very mysterious. His training, in particular, is still up for debate. The most popular theory is that it resulted from the giant collision between Earth and a Mars-sized planet, Theia, but how long did it take for the satellite to form? Propose a new simulation Slightly different answer.

What if the moon formed in a few hours?

Search results published in Astrophysical Journal Letters They suggest that material sent into orbit after the collision can coalesce almost instantly, within a few hours, to form the Moon. Jacob Kegres, post-doctoral researcher atAmes Research Center NASA and lead author.

The previous hypotheses are justified with certainty Moon properties, including their mass and orbit, but did not explain chemical compositions close to those of Earth. The idea of ​​crushing Thea and then mixing it with a ground substance does not lead to inferring such similarity between the two isotopic signatures. Unless Thea is more Earth-like, of course.

This is a suggestion for a new simulation

With this new high-resolution digital simulation performed on a supercomputer, a larger portion of the Earth’s mantle was involved in the formation of the Moon, which explains the similarity in composition. The model suggests that the Moon will be made up of 60% of Earth’s matter versus 30% for the initial theory. And if our satellite did indeed form rapidly after the impact, this would have the effect of cooling it, and because less rock “melted” during its formation, to lead to the formation we know today.

In addition, this theory will provide insight into some of the moon’s poorly understood characteristics, such as its tilted orbit or its relatively thin crust. There is no doubt that the lunar samples were retrieved below the surface and returned again Artemis missions It should help researchers confirm or refute this hypothesis.

And, as always, these discoveries can give us a better understanding of our planet. Vincent Ike, a researcher at Durham University and co-author of the article, said, “The more we learn about the birth of the Moon, the more we discover the evolution of the Earth. Their histories are intertwined and can find echoes in the histories of other planets that have changed due to similar or completely different collisions.”

moon making…

new Tweet embed Simulations show that the moon may have formed much faster than previously thought (over hours!) after an object the size of Mars smashed into Earth.

Learn more about this moon origin story: https://t.co/rzr3PMwiwm pic.twitter.com/mSoT6dO54e

—NASA Ames (@NASAAmes) 4 October 2022