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Rusting of Moon
Why is it in News?
- Union Minister Jitendra Singh said that images sent by Chandrayaan-1 suggest that the moon may be rusting along the poles.
Details:
- Recent study found an oxidised iron mineral called hematite (Fe2O3) at high latitudes on the Moon.
- Lunar hematite is formed through oxidation of the iron on the Moon's surface by the oxygen from Earth's upper atmosphere.
- Along with the oxygen, water on the lunar surface and heat from interplanetary dust also helped in the oxidation process.
- NASA's ARTEMIS missions can bring some hematite samples, and detailed chemical studies can confirm if the lunar hematite was indeed oxidised by Earth’s oxygen.