The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has selected an instrument suite to establish the age and composition of hilly terrain on the near side of the Moon, which was created by volcanic eruptions. The “Irregular Mere Patch” will be observed by DIMPLE or Dating an Irregular Mare Patch with a Lunar Explorer scientific payload. The space agency asserts that learning about this mound on the natural satellite will help answer questions about the evolution. Irregular Mare Patches are smooth, rounded, slightly mounded areas on the Moon. “This commercial payload delivery initiative is helping to provide a burst of lunar science and exploration. DIMPLE will add to a growing body of knowledge about the Moon, which in turn helps us understand the origins of Earth and other planets in the solar system. Additionally, the more we understand about our closest neighbour, the more we can support long-term human exploration at the Moon, and someday, Mars,” said Nicola Fox, NASA associate administrator for science, in a press statement. One of the main purposes of deploying DIMPLE is to understand whether the Irregular Mare Patches are formed from recent or ancient volcanic processes. The mission will use a rover, a collection instrument and a spectrometer that can determine the composition of lunar material. The science instrument will be able to collect and analyse between three to 25 samples to learn about the volcanic activity that formed features. According to NASA, if the volcanic activity turned out to be recent (in geological terms), that would imply one of two things—either the lunar mantle was warmer than previously though or radioactive elements contributed to small-scale eruptions that continued later in the Moon’s evolution than previously thought. On the other hand, if the eruptions that create these patches turn out to be older, it would mean that the age and evolution of the craters would have to be reevaluated. This will hold significant implications for the Earth and other planets in the solar system.
