An international research team has discovered what they describe as ‘anomalous’ rocks on the Moon’s surface that exhibit unique magnetic properties. Located near an area named Reiner Gamma, the small group of meter-sized rocks stood out because they are covered in a layer of dust with special reflective properties, meaning they reflect light differently than all previously known lunar rocks.
The discoveries are part of an effort to better understand the movement of dust and other processes that form and change the surface of the Moon, but they may also end up offering unexpected insights into the history of its magnetic core.
“Current knowledge of the Moon’s magnetic properties is very limited, so these new rocks will shed light on the history of the Moon and its magnetic core,” said Ottaviano Rüsch from the Institut für Planetologie. “For the first time, we have investigated the interactions of dust with rocks in the Reiner Gamma region – more precisely, the variations in the reflective properties of these rocks.”
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