We finally know what's inside Moon's inner core
A team of researchers from the French National Centre for Scientific Research, led by astronomer Arthur Briaud, has made a major discovery about the Moon's inner core. Their findings, published in the journal Nature, confirm that the lunar core is solid and has an iron-like density. This revelation offers valuable insights into the evolution of the Moon's magnetic field.
Research methodology involved seismic data analysis
The researchers used seismic data to study the Moon's interior composition. They mapped the lunar interior in detail by studying how acoustic waves, produced by quakes, interact with the material inside. Briaud and his team obtained this data from several space missions and laser-ranging experiments on the Moon, comparing it with different kinds of cores to find the closest match.
Moon's core structure mirrors Earth's
The team's research also showed that the Moon's core structure is similar to that of Earth, with a fluid outer layer and a solid inner core. The outer core radius was estimated to be around 362km, while the inner core radius was about 258km. This makes up about 15% of the total lunar radius. Its density was found to be around 7,822kg per cubic meter, similar to iron.
Findings align with previous NASA research
The findings by Briaud's team are in line with earlier research by a team led by planetary scientist Renee Weber, from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in 2011. Weber's team had also found evidence of a solid inner core with a radius of about 240km and density of roughly 8,000kg per cubic meter. The French researchers' results confirm these earlier findings and make a strong case for an Earth-like lunar core.
