Stay updated with the latest news live today breaking news as a new scientific discovery reveals that the Moon is more tectonically active than previously believed. This amazing discovery stems from an analysis of decades-old Apollo mission data, uncovering tens of thousands of previously undetected moonquakes. Such breaking news today provides critical insights into the Moon’s inner workings, with implications for future lunar missions and human habitation.
In today’s breaking news headlines, planetary seismologist Keisuke Onodera from the University of Tokyo has meticulously analyzed seismic wave data, revealing a staggering 22,000 new moonquakes. This significant finding was reported in *JGR: Planets* and adds to the approximately 13,000 previously recorded seismic events from the Apollo missions in the 1960s and 1970s. This discovery brings the total number of known moonquakes to 35,000, marking a substantial increase in our understanding of lunar activity.
These findings are crucial as they show that the Moon experiences far more tectonic activity than previously thought. Most of the newly identified quakes stem from external sources such as temperature changes or impacts, including deliberate NASA actions. However, the discovery also includes shallow moonquakes originating in the Moon’s upper crust, providing valuable information about the Moon’s geological structure.
Lunar seismologist Ceri Nunn highlights the painstaking effort involved in this analysis, given the noisy data from the short-period seismometers used during the Apollo missions. This news today breaking news not only sheds light on the Moon’s geological activity but also showcases the dedication and meticulous work of scientists in reprocessing old data to extract new information.
Further adding to the intrigue, the study found that shallow moonquakes are more prevalent in the northern hemisphere near the Apollo 15 landing site, an area surrounded by volcanic dikes as indicated by NASA’s GRAIL probe data. This suggests that the Moon’s crust contracts around these denser intrusions, leading to increased seismic activity.
As the latest news today, this discovery has significant implications for future lunar missions. Understanding the frequency and strength of moonquakes is vital for planning human missions and structures on the Moon. Seismic data helps measure lunar soil depth, impacting the availability of building materials and the stability of lunar habitats, as well as identifying the safest landing sites.
Looking ahead, the latest science news 2024 indicates that future missions will provide even more data. NASA and its partners are planning to send seismometers to the Moon’s farside in 2025, while the Chinese Chang’e 7 mission will send another seismometer to the lunar south pole in 2026. As Raphaël Garcia, a lead investigator for the 2025 mission, states, “It’s kind of a golden age for planetary seismology.”
Stay tuned for more science updates and the latest news today as we continue to uncover amazing facts about science and the Moon’s seismic activity. Follow our channel for comprehensive news live today breaking news, ensuring you don’t miss out on any crucial updates in science news 2024.
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