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NASA Confirms Uneven Lunar Interior with New Gravity Map

The Moon's nearside mantle is hotter and more deformable than its farside, a discovery tied to ancient volcanism and radioactive elements.

The moon's near side, at left, and far side are seen in a combination of undated images from observations made by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. NASA/JPL-Caltech/Handout via REUTERS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY
An undated artist's concept shows the moon's hot interior and volcanism about 2 to 3 billion years ago. It is thought that volcanic activity on the lunar near side (the side facing Earth) helped create a landscape dominated by vast plains called mare, which are formed by molten rock that cooled and solidified. NASA/JPL-Caltech/Handout via REUTERS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY
An artist's cross-section of the moon.

Overview

  • NASA's GRAIL mission produced the most detailed lunar gravity map to date, revealing structural and thermal differences between the Moon's nearside and farside.
  • The nearside mantle is 180–360°F warmer and 2–3% more deformable than the farside, attributed to radioactive elements like thorium and titanium.
  • Ancient volcanic activity on the nearside concentrated heat-generating elements, shaping its surface and potentially influencing deep moonquake patterns.
  • The tidal tomography technique used in this study offers a non-lander method for investigating planetary interiors, now applied to asteroid Vesta and potentially other celestial bodies.
  • These findings enhance lunar navigation systems critical for future missions and expand our understanding of planetary differentiation across the solar system.