A new concept on the origin of the Moon

The moon emerged from Earth’s interior when our planet was a synestial object – a billowing mass of molten rock resembling a doughnut – at least that’s what scientists from the University of California and Harvard University suggest.

New model of the moon’s origin – according to its authors – may be the best explanation for the origin of our natural satellite. The work published on „Journal of Geophysical Research – Planets” solves several previous problemsóin connection with the formation of the Moon.

– Our work explains these features of the Moon, whichóre difficult to explain using current concepts. The moon is chemically almost the same as Earth, but with some róThe differences. This is the first model thatóry can fit into the composition pattern of the Silver Globe – said Professor Sarah Stewart of the University of California at Davis.

There are several theories about the formation of the Moon. The earliest indications are that it broke away from Earth due to centrifugal forces, leaving a hole – Pacific Ocean, but this model required too much initial orbital energy. Other móbind that the Silver Globe originated elsewhere and was intercepted by the Earth or formed from the same gas cloudóin and dustów, of whichórej the Earth was created.

Currently, the most popular among theód scientistsów is the concept of móBinding that the Moon was formed by a collision between an early Earth and a Mars-sized body called Thea in this theory. But like any other concept, this one too has gaps.

The new model is based on a synsetial object also called synestia. It’s a type of planetary object thatóhe concept was submitted last year by Simon Lock and Sarah Stewart. The idea is that such an object forms as a result of a collision of dwóch celestial bodies, resulting in the formation of a rapidly spinning mass of molten rock, która resembles the American version of a doughnut (torus-like shape).

Synesthesia probably doesn’t last long – perhaps only hundreds of years. They shrink rapidly, emitting heat, causing evaporated rocks to condense into a liquid, która eventually forms a planet.

– Our model starts with a collision thatówhich creates synesthesia,” explained Lock. – The moon forms inside the evaporated Earth at temperatures of 4,000 to 6,000 degrees Celsius and pressures of tens ofóin the atmosphere,” he added.

According to Lock, the advantage of the new model is that there are many ways toóin order to create the corresponding synesthesia. When the Earth’s synestia formed, chunks of molten rock injected into its orbit during the impact formed a „seeds” For our Moon. The vaporized silicate rock fell on the proto-moon, while the Earth’s synestia itself gradually contracted.

Eventually, the Moon emerged from the synestia clouds pulling its own atmosphere of vapor behind itóin the rocky. Thusób The Moon has inherited swój chemical composition from Earth, but because it formed at high temperatures, it lost easily vaporized elements. It would explain some róThe differences in the composition of our natural satellite.