The strange lunar swirls have puzzled scientists for decades. A new study found a link between the swirls and topography.
. The study is available online at the journal AGU Geophysical Research Letters.
These explanations have to account for magnetism and the swirls’ youthful appearance. But none of them hint at topography, which sets this new research apart. “For swirls, dust transport is the process most affected by elevation changes, and we now re-examine the role of dust mobility across the lunar surface in the context of this new discovery,” Domingue said.
The brighter sections of the swirls are areas shielded by magnetic anomalies, and spectral analysis shows they’re younger than the dark areas. The lighter regions also show “… a decreased abundance of implanted solar wind hydrogen, which forms OH .” Spectral analysis of the darker areas shows that they’re older. According to the research, this indicates that shielding of the solar wind helps form the swirls.
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