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Magnetic moon mystery solved

By T.K. Randall
November 11, 2011 · Comment icon

10 comments

Image Credit: NASA

Why are there magnetised rocks on the lunar surface when the Moon has no magnetic field ?

Two new studies have been published that attempt to solve the mystery. Christina Dwyer and colleagues from the University of California have put forward the idea that the Moon once had a geodynamo due to differences in the way its liquid core rotated in the distant past.

A second theory has been proposed by scientists including Dr Michael Le Bars at the Aix-Marseille Universite in France, who have suggested that early asteroid impacts could have changed the Moon's rotation rate causing tidal distortion at the core-mantle boundary.

Scientists may have solved one of the Moon's enduring mysteries: why there are magnetised rocks on the lunar surface, when the Moon has no global magnetic field.

Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation | Comments (10)

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Recent comments on this story

#1 Posted by tailormaneinafog 12 years ago

Dark matter comet impacts still buried in the crust is a possiblity. This hypothesis requires the fall of Einstein's relativity and an anisotropic picture of gravity.

#2 Posted by encouraged 12 years ago

#3 Posted by Timonthy 12 years ago

Well that's hardly solved Good job... edit: is being stubborn, I cannot see . Emoticons have turned against me .

#4 Posted by GirlfromOz 12 years ago

Anyone knows that when you expose a metallic object to a magnet,it becomes magnetised.So the moon has been exposed to Earth's magnetic field for millions of years.Wouldn't you assume that the rocks on the moon are an example?

#5 Posted by GirlfromOz 12 years ago

Well Derr!! LOL

#6 Posted by Justinus 11 years ago

#7 Posted by Justinus 11 years ago

I heard this crazy theory.. Apparently we witnessed something crash into the moon. Meteorite or Satellite, can't remember.... but they said the sound was weird, like it was hollow. Then they went into the Death star stuff. But what if the magnetism is because the moon is artificial? It�s been said that we wouldn�t exist without it. Maybe it was put, or parked there? I heard this crazy theory.. Apparently we witnessed something crash into the moon. Meteorite or Satellite, can't remember.... but they said the sound was weird, like it was hollow. Then they went into the Death star stuff. But what... [More]

#8 Posted by psyche101 11 years ago

Dark matter comet impacts still buried in the crust is a possiblity. This hypothesis requires the fall of Einstein's relativity and an anisotropic picture of gravity. You will forgive me if I do not hold my breath then.

#9 Posted by psyche101 11 years ago

I heard this crazy theory.. Apparently we witnessed something crash into the moon. Meteorite or Satellite, can't remember.... but they said the sound was weird, like it was hollow. Then they went into the Death star stuff. But what if the magnetism is because the moon is artificial? It�s been said that we wouldn�t exist without it. Maybe it was put, or parked there? Do you have a link? I do not know about the hollow sound stuff at all.

#10 Posted by psyche101 11 years ago

I think I will need a animation to visualize this one. Too many confusing stages muddled together in this article. Any theory in my opinion has to deal with a strong explanation as to why we see the same surface continuously. What, tidal locking? The change in rotation rate necessary to tidally lock a body B to a larger body A is caused by the torque applied by A's gravity on bulges it has induced on B by tidal forces. In short, when you squash it flat, it pulls on the bulges you just created by pushing it flat. Gravity is strong enough to "squish" a planet up a bit during orbit. That is the t... [More]

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