Moon samples reveal magnetic mineral never before seen naturally
Scientists have discovered a previously unknown magnetic mineral, γ-Fe, within lunar soil samples collected by China's Chang'e-6 mission. This nanoscale iron acts as a 'magnetic fossil,' providing new insights into the Moon's ancient core dynamo and magnetic history.
Why it matters
Understanding the Moon's magnetic past helps researchers reconstruct the geological evolution of planetary bodies and the history of the early solar system.
About 4.25 billion years ago, the Moon possessed a powerful core dynamo with a field strength comparable to or even exceeding modern Earth's. This magnetic field, generated by circulating molten metal, completely shut down as the interior cooled and core crystallisation ceased, leaving the Moon without a global magnetic field in the present. While it no longer generates a global magnetic field, traces of its ancient magnetism still remain locked inside lunar soil and rocks.Scientists have been studying these magnetic minerals preserved in the soil in order to reconstruct how the Moon's magnetic environment changed over time. Researchers analysing metallic iron inside impact glass from Chang'e-6 lunar soil have now identified a previously unknown magnetic mineral in natural Moon samples. They have identified it as a form of metallic iron called γ-Fe.
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