A year ago, in July 2019, the Chinese lunar Rover Yutu-2 discovered on the slope of the crater of the Pocket in the pool of the South pole Aitken lunar interesting artifact. In standby report the operators of the Rover called it a “gel” or “jelly” for the characteristic wet Shine. Since then, studies have led scientists to the conclusion that moisture in the wrong spot, and the stone gleams due to the fact that were once melted to a glassy mass.
In the Chinese Academy of Sciences analyzed data from the panoramic camera Yutu-2 spectrometer (VNIS) and security cameras, examining the object in the visible and infrared spectrum. Unfortunately, due to the poor lighting they were able to establish only the presence of a substance 38 % plagioclase. In the surrounding regolith content of this mineral comes to 45%, plus there is a 7 % pyroxene, and 6 % olivine – nothing unusual. Therefore, local education, it formed the moon.
The dimensions of this shiny object 52 to 16 cm, dark green color and is likely a breccia – bonded molten mass of angular fragments of rock. A similar structure have samples of lunar soil No. 15466 and No. 70019 brought by missions Apollo 15 and 17, but there the color is almost black. The most likely origin of breccias on the moon – blows of micrometeorites, which melts the regolith.
But there’s a catch – green breccia was found in a small crater, only 2 m in diameter, which need a meteorite with a diameter up to 2 cm, But this baby is not going to provide the punch that will lead to the melting of regolith to obtain a spot 52х16 cm, it needs much more power. So, the meteorite was big and hit somewhere in the side, and the molten regolith shock wave took it to a place where he could mingle with other minerals – and it turned out breccia. Therefore, it is in their own little funnel. Alas, Yutu-2 to return to this place no plans, therefore, to verify the findings of the scientists will be problematic.
Source — Earth and Planetary Science Letters