“Current Science Event: Earth’s Tidal Effect on the Moon” While the moon’s gravitational effects are famous for their ability to stimulate neap and spring tides, slightly alters earth’s gravity, and was an important factor in Earth’s creation, what effects do Earth’s gravity have on the moon? Scientists have long known that the moon would experience considerably higher tidal effects than earth, but have never found obliquity distortions that would result of earth’s gravity. From data collected by LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter), a satellite that was launched to the moon in 2009, scientists have determined that the moon has contracted slightly. During its formation, the moon’s crust was supported by pockets of hot, pressurized air and magma,
…show more content…
As the moon retracts to its farthest position from Earth, it is most likely to experience the formation of these fault lines, since Earth’s gravity is most widely distributed over its surface. Although scientists have never witnessed the formation of a fault scarps, they predict that they date 50 million years old, and are still likely to be forming. From crust exposed by these scarp lines, scientists can analyze the moon’s regolith, expanding our geological knowledge of the moon’s surface. With a plethora of evidence that the moon is still geologically active, or at least has been in the past 10 million years, including the Ina formation and lunar outgassing, the fault line exposure of the moon’s rocky interior can aid scientists to conclude if the actual tidal forces encouraged the moon’s geological activity or some unforeseen heat source is keeping the moon geologically active. These fault scarps also inspire amateur and professional astronomers alike to continue meticulously studying the moon, slowly peeling away one shrouded mystery after …show more content…
The most common tool, as mundane as it may seem, encompasses refracting, reflecting, and space telescopes that accumulate close resolutions of the moon’s surface. While images gathered by telescopes would lack the high resolution images taken by the orbiters, they would still be sufficient to study geological features and even possible activity. A variety of Luna impactor probes and the LRO have provided detailed geological data, information of the moon’s composition, and data of possible lunar activity over the past fifty years of moon exploration. The LRO is, arguably, the most important satellite orbiting the moon, as it has created the first 3D map and high resolution images of the moon’s surface. During each of the six Apollo missions, a variety of experimental instruments were left on the moon, including the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package, or the AL SEP. This package consisted of a variety of seismometers, magnetometers, and radiation detectors. AL SEP is widely responsible for most temperature, magnetosphere, and radiation data gathered on the moon. Through telescope observations, AL SEP data, LRO imaging, and Luna impactor probes, scientists have accumulated modern knowledge of the moon’s formation and geological
As the moon retracts to its farthest position from Earth, it is most likely to experience the formation of these fault lines, since Earth’s gravity is most widely distributed over its surface. Although scientists have never witnessed the formation of a fault scarps, they predict that they date 50 million years old, and are still likely to be forming. From crust exposed by these scarp lines, scientists can analyze the moon’s regolith, expanding our geological knowledge of the moon’s surface. With a plethora of evidence that the moon is still geologically active, or at least has been in the past 10 million years, including the Ina formation and lunar outgassing, the fault line exposure of the moon’s rocky interior can aid scientists to conclude if the actual tidal forces encouraged the moon’s geological activity or some unforeseen heat source is keeping the moon geologically active. These fault scarps also inspire amateur and professional astronomers alike to continue meticulously studying the moon, slowly peeling away one shrouded mystery after …show more content…
The most common tool, as mundane as it may seem, encompasses refracting, reflecting, and space telescopes that accumulate close resolutions of the moon’s surface. While images gathered by telescopes would lack the high resolution images taken by the orbiters, they would still be sufficient to study geological features and even possible activity. A variety of Luna impactor probes and the LRO have provided detailed geological data, information of the moon’s composition, and data of possible lunar activity over the past fifty years of moon exploration. The LRO is, arguably, the most important satellite orbiting the moon, as it has created the first 3D map and high resolution images of the moon’s surface. During each of the six Apollo missions, a variety of experimental instruments were left on the moon, including the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package, or the AL SEP. This package consisted of a variety of seismometers, magnetometers, and radiation detectors. AL SEP is widely responsible for most temperature, magnetosphere, and radiation data gathered on the moon. Through telescope observations, AL SEP data, LRO imaging, and Luna impactor probes, scientists have accumulated modern knowledge of the moon’s formation and geological