Scientists in a recent breakthrough have discovered new clues regarding the formation of the moon, thereby challenging long-held theories.
For years, the formation of the moon has been a mystery for scientists as they are still not sure how the Moon was actually formed in the first place.
One theory suggests that it was created due to a giant impact between the Earth and a Mars-sized object known as “Theia”, which broke off a huge chunk that somehow left behind the Moon.
Researchers have discovered that the material strength and pre-collision temperatures of Earth and Theia played a decisive role in how the Moon formed.
Previous models largely ignored the geologic strength and temperature of the colliding bodies, considering these factors irrelevant.
However, new simulations led by Adeene Denton at the Southwest Research Institute show that material strength matters significantly, as hotter planetary bodies are structurally weaker than colder ones.
Dr Denton said in new findings published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, “Depending on how hot the Earth and Theia are prior to the collision, the impact can destroy Theia and produce this massive disk of debris that eventually forms the Moon.”
“But when I used the same parameters as original impact modelling — down to the equal temperature structures inside both bodies — within around five hours, an intact Moon emerged.”
Robin Canup, the scientist who helped develop the theory of a big crash that led to the Moon with a paper in 2001, hailed these results, calling them exciting which could help researchers better understand the event.
However, the study does not develop a link between why the moon and earth look alike. One suggestion is that earth and Theia were originally formed in close proximity.
“Because Earth and Mars formed in the same neighbourhood of the solar system, they are like siblings. The Moon and Earth are more like fraternal twins,” Dr Denton added.
