Լarge layer of granite found on the Moon: The satelite is more Earth-like than previously thought

Scientists, studying the surface of the opposite side of the Moon using microwave instruments, discovered a certain "hot spot", which, according to a group of American scientists, is a large layer of granite. This means that the Moon is more similar to the Earth than previously thought.

Granitic rocks of volcanic origin are common on Earth, but are almost absent elsewhere in the Solar System. But now, it is possible that what scientists have discovered is a large granite object under the surface of the far side of the Moon.

The discovery was recorded by microwave devices on the Chinese Chang'e-1 and Chang'e-2 drones. The researchers also used data from the American lunar orbiter LRO, the defunct Lunar Prospector, as well as the Chandrayaan-1 (India) and Apollo (USA) missions.

Chinese devices have helped map the temperature below the surface of the Moon: microwave radiometry allows probing at depths of 0.3 to 5.6 m and measuring rock temperatures. Between the Compton and Belkovich craters on the far side of the moon, a "hot spot" was discovered, the nature of which topography could not explain. The only plausible option was found to be an underground heat source.

There is a volcano in this place that last erupted about 3.5 billion years ago. The object, which is about 50 m wide, is believed to be a layer of granite, frozen magma. It contains radioactive elements, a high concentration of uranium and thorium, which, according to scientists, led to the heating of the surface.

Researchers have come to the conclusion that the great volcano was once fed by a huge chamber of magma beneath it. As part of the missions of the American Apollo program, samples of granite material were obtained from the Moon, but objects of this size have not been detected before. The size of the layer, according to scientists, shows that the Moon is more similar to the Earth than previously thought.