A new international study may have solved the mystery of our Moon’s ancient magnetic field.
Billions of years ago, the Moon had a magnetic field which was far stronger than scientists would have expected, leading some to suggest powerful impacts from huge asteroids may have been responsible for this magnetic boost.
Study co-author Professor Katarina Miljkovic from Curtin’s School of Earth and Planetary Sciences said no one had been able to create models that could clearly show whether these impacts could create such a strong magnetic field — until now.
Professor Miljkovic may be quoted as saying:
“This study finally bridges a critical gap in our understanding of the Moon’s magnetism. By simulating impacts, we can show even weak magnetic fields could have been amplified to intensities strong enough to leave a permanent imprint in the lunar crust — which is why some parts of the Moon’s crust are still magnetized today. It’s exciting because the Moon is kind of a time capsule: unlike Earth, it has no atmosphere or plate tectonics to erase ancient features. Its rocks and magnetic fields preserve a record of what planetary bodies — including Earth — experienced billions of years ago.”
Professor Miljkovic is available for comment and can answer questions such as:
- Why are there strong magnetic anomalies on the Moon today if it no longer has a global magnetic field?
- What role do impact events play in planetary evolution?
- How do these findings change our understanding of the Moon’s early magnetic field?
- Could similar processes have influenced magnetism on other rocky planets such as Mars or Mercury?
The study ‘Impact plasma amplification of the ancient lunar dynamo’ was led by Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is available here.