Moonquakes

Syllabus: GS1/ Important Geographical phenomenon

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• An earthquake is caused when tectonic plates shift, however, the quakes themselves aren’t restricted to the earth. 

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• Small tremors have also been detected on the moon. They aren’t the handiwork of tectonic plates.
• Instead, the moon is practically groaning from extreme temperature differences – from 121 degrees to –133 degrees Celsius, a breathtaking range of 250 degrees Celsius. The resulting strain leads to seismic activities called moonquakes.
• They can also occur due to meteors striking the lunar surface. Indeed, the surface is pockmarked with thousands of craters – not surprising because the moon’s lack of an atmosphere allows even small impacts to be powerful enough to deform the ground.
• Researchers also found another cause that the Apollo 17 lunar lander module (1972), may also have triggered some tremors.
  • Scientists using artificial intelligence found that the lander itself set off very feeble seismic movements on the moon as it adjusted to the natural satellite’s drastic temperature changes.

• As countries around the world, including India, plan to establish outposts on the lunar surface, studying moonquakes and their causes is crucial.
• It will also help us build structures on the moon that don’t topple if a lander descends nearby.

Source: TH