MOONQUAKES
- SCI &TECH
News:
Scientists find that
Apollo 17's left-over tech causing moonquakes on the lunar surface
What's
in the news?
●
Recently, the study has revealed that the left-over
lunar module from the Apollo 17 mission in 1972 induced small, artificial
moonquakes on the moon’s surface.
Moonquakes:
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Small
tremors have also been detected on the moon. They aren’t the
handiwork of tectonic plates.
●
Instead, the moon is practically groaning
from extreme temperature differences
– from 121 degrees to –133 degrees Celsius, a breathtaking range of 250 degrees
Celsius. The resulting strain leads to seismic activities called moonquakes.
Causes
1.
Temperature Variation:
●
The moon experiences a wide temperature
range, from scorching hot (up to 121 degrees Celsius) to extremely cold (as low
as -133 degrees Celsius).
●
This drastic temperature difference leads
to the moon’s surface contracting and expanding, causing stress and strain in
the moon’s crust, ultimately resulting in seismic activity.
2.
Meteor Impacts:
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The moon’s lack of an atmosphere means
that even small meteoroids can strike
its surface with significant force.
●
These impacts create shockwaves that can
deform the lunar ground and trigger seismic events.
3.
Lander Activities:
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Recent research has suggested that even
human-made activities, such as the landing of lunar modules like the Apollo 17
lander in 1972, can induce moonquakes.
●
In this case, the adjustment of the lander
to the moon’s extreme temperature changes was found to produce minor seismic
movements.