We finally know what Moon's far side is made of
What's the story
Chinese scientists have cracked the chemical code of the Moon's far side using an artificial intelligence (AI) model. The far side, which is always hidden from Earth's view, has remained chemically unmapped for a long time. However, samples collected by China's Chang'e-6 mission and advanced technologies have helped a team led by Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics (SITP) solve this lunar mystery.
Team effort
Collaboration of multiple Chinese institutes
The SITP team, an affiliate of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, collaborated with researchers from Tongji University in Shanghai and other Chinese institutes. Their joint efforts resulted in the first high-precision global distribution map of major oxides on the Moon. The findings were published last month in Nature Sensors, a peer-reviewed journal.
Research findings
Study adds to knowledge of Moon's evolution
The study unveiled the exposure characteristics of deep materials in the South Pole-Aitken basin and compositional patterns of far-side lunar terrains. This discovery adds to our understanding of the Moon's geological history and evolution.