Chang'e-6 lunar back samples have been discovered again! A joint research team organized by the National Space Administration has verified the hypothesis of a lunar magmatic ocean at the full lunar scale by studying basalt in samples from the far side of Chang'e-6. They have also proposed that the massive impact that formed the South Pole Aitken Basin on the far side of the moon may have altered the early lunar mantle in this region, providing key scientific evidence for exploring the origin and evolution of the moon. The relevant paper was published on February 28th in the international academic journal Science. The reviewer of the journal commented: "This manuscript reports some of the first scientific data from Chang'e-6 samples, which are very important and interesting from the far side of the moon. The extreme novelty of the samples and their impact on our understanding of the moon make these results worthy of publication." Breaking the deadlock! The hypothesis of lunar magma ocean has received "reverse" evidence for the first time - Che Xiaochao, the first author and co corresponding author of the paper and an associate researcher at the Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, introduced that the hypothesis of lunar magma ocean was first proposed in 1970 and is an important hypothesis for the origin and evolution of the moon. This hypothesis suggests that at the beginning of the formation of the moon, it appeared as a magma ocean covering the entire moon. As the magma ocean cools and crystallizes, lighter minerals float up to form the lunar crust, heavier minerals sink to form the lunar mantle, and residual melt forms the Kripp material layer between the lunar crust and mantle. Previous studies on samples from the near side of the moon have supported this hypothesis, but later research based on lunar meteorites, remote sensing observations, and other studies has found that the evolution of the far and near sides of the moon is not completely consistent, and the hypothesis of a lunar magma ocean has been questioned. The first lunar sample returned by Chang'e-6 from the South Pole Aitken Basin on the far side of the moon has finally broken the deadlock. Get rid of the fog! Basalt from the far side of the moon has become the breakthrough key - "Basalt is formed by the upwelling and eruption of lunar mantle magma to the lunar surface, which can provide direct evidence for studying the evolution of lunar magma," said Long Tao, co corresponding author of the paper and researcher at the Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences. The research team analyzed the samples from the far side of Chang'e-6 and found that there is also a Kripp material layer on the far side of the moon, and the basalt composition in the samples from the far and near sides of the moon is similar, indicating that there should have been a lunar scale magmatic ocean during the early formation of the moon. In addition, isotope dating results show that the main formation age of basalt in the samples studied is 2.823 billion years, providing key chronological evidence for late volcanic activity on the far side of the moon. Huge impact! Perhaps it leads to "different expressions" on the front and back of the moon - research on lead isotopes in lunar basalts also reveals differences in the evolution process of the front and back of the moon after magma ocean crystallization. And large-scale impacts can cause changes in the lead isotope composition of the moon. Based on this, the research team concluded that the massive impact that formed the South Pole Aitken Basin on the far side of the moon may have altered the physical and chemical properties of the lunar mantle in that region, resulting in significant differences between the near and far sides of the moon today. Next, the research team will also conduct research on early impact events between the moon and the solar system, as well as deep lunar material. Liu Dunyi, honorary director of the Ion Probe Center at the Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, said that there is a hypothesis about the origin of the moon, which suggests that the moon was formed by the condensation of fragments separated by planetary scale impacts on early Earth, without undergoing plate movement, weathering, or other transformations, and can record the complete evolutionary history since its formation. Related research can provide clues for the early evolution of the Moon, Earth, and even the solar system, bringing more new knowledge to the world. (New Society)