New Study Finds Active Lunar Tectonics, Challenges Moon’s Dormancy

A recent analysis of lunar surface features has challenged long-standing assumptions about the moon's geological dormancy. Findings indicate that small ridges on the far side of the moon may have formed within the last 200 million years, suggesting that tectonic processes are still at play. The study's conclusions point to ongoing activity beneath the lunar surface, which could have significant implications for future lunar exploration efforts and the placement of infrastructure on the moon.

Study Reveals Active Lunar Tectonics

According to the study published in The Planetary Science Journal on January 21, 2025, a team of researchers from the Smithsonian Institution and the University of Maryland identified 266 previously undocumented small ridges on the moon's far side. These ridges, found in volcanic regions estimated to have formed 3.2 to 3.6 billion years ago, appear to be significantly younger than other known lunar surface features.

Jaclyn Clark, Assistant Research Scientist at the University of Maryland's Department of Geology, said in a statement released by the University of Maryland that crater counting was employed to estimate the ridges' ages. He added that the more craters a surface has, the older it is; the surface has more time to accumulate impact marks and after counting the craters and observing ridges cutting through existing impact sites, it was determined that these formations were active within the last 160 million years.

Implications for Future Lunar Exploration

Observations suggest that the ridges on both the near and far sides of the moon may have originated from the same geological forces, including the moon's gradual shrinking and orbital shifts. Decades-old data from Apollo missions had previously detected shallow moonquakes, and researchers now believe these ridges may be linked to similar seismic events.

Clark highlighted the importance of these findings for future missions, stating that tools like ground-penetrating radar could provide deeper insights into the moon's subsurface. She emphasised that understanding the moon's active geology is crucial when planning the placement of astronauts and equipment on its surface.