China’s Chang’e-6 reveals why solar wind hits the Moon’s two sides differently
Analysis of lunar samples from China's Chang'e-6 mission reveals that the Moon's near and far sides are bombarded by solar wind differently. The study suggests that Earth's magnetosphere influences how solar particles strike the lunar surface.
Why it matters
This discovery provides new insights into the interaction between Earth's magnetic field and the Moon, helping scientists better understand the history of the lunar surface.
The Moon has been exposed to the solar wind for billions of years. However, new evidence shows that its two hemispheres have not experienced that bombardment in the same way. Particles striking the near side and far side arrive at different speeds and carry different amounts of energy.
An analysis of material collected by China's Chang'e 6 mission now suggests that Earth's magnetosphere is responsible for much of this contrast. The findings were published in Nature Geoscience .
The solar wind is a constant flow of fast-moving charged particles released by the Sun. Because the Moon lacks a thick atmosphere and a global magnetic field, these particles strike its surface directly.
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