Lunar vortices are mysterious light-colored, twisting features on the moon’s surface that stretch for hundreds of miles.
These intriguing patterns, visible even with a backyard telescope, have defied easy explanation for years. Recent research suggests that the eddies may be magnetized by invisible magmas beneath the lunar surface.
New insights into lunar vortices
Recent modeling and spacecraft data show this rocks in the moon eddies are magnetized, which deflects or redirects the solar wind particles that constantly bombard the moon. This redirection causes neighboring rocks to darken due to chemical reactions from the collisions, while the vortices themselves remain bright.
Michael J. Krawczynski, an associate professor at Washington University in St. Louis, explains, “Impacts can cause these types of magnetic anomalies. But there are some swirls where we’re just not sure how the impact could create that shape and that size of something. This observation points to a more complex process behind the formation of the eddies, suggesting that surface effects alone cannot explain their unique shapes and sizes.
Krawczynski and his team hypothesize that underground lavas cool slowly in a magnetic field may be responsible for the magnetic anomalies observed in the eddies. Their experiments, published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, focused on the mineral ilmenite, which is abundant on the Moon.
They found that under lunar conditions, ilmenite can react to form magnetizable ferrous metal particles, potentially explaining the magnetization of the vortices. Yuanyuan Liang, co-author of the study, noted, “The smaller grains we worked with seem to create stronger magnetic fields because the surface area to volume ratio is greater for the smaller grains compared to the larger grains . With more exposed surface area, it is easier for smaller grains to undergo the reduction reaction. This finding suggests that the size and distribution of mineral grains play a critical role in the magnetization process.
Implications for lunar exploration
Determining the origin of lunar whirlwinds is critical to understanding the processes that shaped the lunar surface and the history of the moon’s magnetic field. Future missions, such as NASA’s planned rover mission to the Reiner Gamma vortex in 2025, will help collect more data to confirm these findings. “If you’re going to make magnetic anomalies by the methods we’re describing, then the subsurface magma has to be high in titanium,” Krawczynski said. “We saw hints of this reaction creating metallic iron in lunar meteorites and in Apollo lunar samples.
But all these samples are superficial lava flowsand our study shows that subsurface cooling should greatly enhance these metal-forming reactions.” This insight could change our understanding of lunar geology and the role of magnetic fields in shaping planetary surfaces.
This research will aid in the interpretation of data from future lunar missions, particularly those investigating magnetic anomalies. For now, Krawczynski stresses the need for more direct sampling: “If we could just drill down, we could see if this reaction is happening. It would be great, but it’s not possible yet. Right now we’re stuck on the surface.” As technology advances, future missions may eventually provide the opportunity to drill beneath the moon’s surface, offering a more comprehensive understanding of these enigmatic features.
Findings from these studies will be instrumental because NASA and other space agencies are preparing for upcoming lunar missions aimed at unraveling the mysteries of lunar vortices and their implications for the geological history of the Moon. By understanding the magnetization process and the role of subsurface magma, scientists hope to unlock new insights into the Moon’s past and its evolution. This research not only sheds light on lunar phenomena, but also improves our broader understanding of planetary magnetism and geological processes in our solar system.
