Something is moving inside of the Moon. Yes, you read that correctly.
A recent study from scientists at NASA and the University of Arizona found that a layer of low-viscosity goo sits between the Moon’s rugged mantle and its metal core. This goo is rising and falling beneath the lunar surface — not unlike, say, ocean tides — which they concluded is likely caused by the gravitational push and pull of the Sun and Earth.
I wonder if it has to be a partial melt. We are finding that many asteroids are loosely bundled rocks. I wonder if maybe the moon has a similar structure. I have no clue how much pressure is under the surface and off it’s enough to fuse everything together.
Considering it’s at least semi-liquid, it’s definitely not just a loose clump of rocks. The moon is a lot bigger than asteroids, about 3500 km in diameter. Even the largest known asteroid is about 940 km in diameter. And every increase in diameter means a cubic increase in volume.
Is the statement that it is a semi-liquid more or less confirmed? That is what I’m saying.
Is the moon’s diameter and composition enough to create a semi-molten rock? Or could this phenomenon be better explained by a loose set of rocks, which also displays characteristics of a liquid when in movement.
A loose set of rocks could be described as a fluid, but not a liquid. But a cold cluster of rocks would not have fluid motion.
Regardless, the moon’s core temperature is estimated around 1400°C. This means liquid iron or solid or semisolid austenite depending on the presence of other elements, primarily carbon.
