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A new study published in Nature Communications reveals that 3.8 billion years ago, an unidentified object struck the Moon which formed two massive canyons on the lunar surface.
These canyons are Vallis Schrödinger and Vallis Planck. (Photo Credits: X)
About 3.8 billion years ago, a powerful impact near the moon’s south pole created two massive canyons. But what is astonishing about these canyons is the fact that they were created in less than 10 minutes, according to a new study published in Nature Communications. Scientists believe a high-speed asteroid or comet struck the lunar surface which sent debris flying across the region and carved out deep canyons in moments.
For comparison, it took between 5 million and 6 million years for water to shape the Grand Canyon in Arizona, while these lunar formations were created in just minutes due to the extreme energy of the impact.
Lead study author Dr David Kring, principal scientist at the Lunar and Planetary Institute, told CNN, “Nearly four billion years ago, an asteroid or comet flew over the lunar south pole, brushed by the mountain summits of Malapert and Mouton and hit the lunar surface. The impact ejected high-energy streams of rock that carved two canyons … in less than 10 minutes.”
Vallis Schrödinger and Vallis Planck are prominent canyons within the Schrödinger impact basin, a massive crater near the moon’s south pole. According to a recent study, Vallis Schrödinger measures approximately 168 miles (270 kilometres) in length and reaches a depth of 1.7 miles (2.7 kilometres). Vallis Planck stretches around 174 miles (280 kilometres) and plunges to a depth of 2.2 miles (3.5 kilometres). These canyons were formed by debris that collided with the lunar surface at speeds of about 2,237 miles per hour (3,600 kilometres per hour).
Researchers studied images and elevation data from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter orbiting the moon since 2009. This data helped them create detailed maps of the region, including the Schrödinger basin and its surrounding area. Using impact cratering models, they were able to calculate the velocity of the impactor and the energy released during the collision.
The force of the impact was immense. Researchers estimate it was 1,200 to 2,200 times more powerful than the nuclear explosions once considered for digging a second Panama Canal. It was also more than 700 times stronger than all nuclear test explosions ever conducted by the US, the former Soviet Union and China combined.
The study also highlights how such impacts played a crucial role in shaping planetary surfaces. Around 3.8 billion years ago, Earth and the moon were bombarded by asteroids and comets during a period known as the Late Heavy Bombardment. While Earth’s craters have been eroded over time by weather and geological activity, the moon’s surface has remained largely unchanged providing evidence of these ancient collisions.
According to the study coauthor Gareth Collins, professor of planetary science at Imperial College London, the Schrödinger impact basin is particularly significant because it resembles Earth’s Chicxulub crater which is linked to the asteroid impact that contributed to the extinction of the dinosaurs.
“By showing how Schrödinger’s (kilometres)-deep canyons were carved, this work has helped to illuminate how energetic the ejecta from these impacts can be,” he said.
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