Revolutionary Lunar Origin Theory Challenges Decades-Old Planetary Science Models
Long-Standing Mystery: How the Moon Really Formed
One of the longest-standing mysteries in planetary science is how the Moon came into being. More than a century ago, George Darwin suggested that powerful tidal and centrifugal forces acting on a rapidly spinning proto-Earth caused the Moon to break away and settle into orbit around the planet.
However, the idea later conflicted with the laws of conservation. A proto-Earth rotating with a day lasting just two to three hours would have possessed roughly four times the angular momentum of the present Earth-Moon system, raising the question of where that excess momentum went.
Theia Impact: The Dominant Modern Hypothesis
The leading explanation that emerged instead proposes that a Mars-sized object, dubbed Theia, collided with the proto-Earth. The impact ejected material from both bodies into orbit, where it eventually clumped together to form the Moon.
When lunar samples were brought back to Earth during the Apollo missions, a serious puzzle emerged. Their isotopic compositions were found to be almost indistinguishable from those of rocks in Earth's mantle and crust. This was unexpected, as simulations suggested that most of the Moon should have formed from material originating from Theia, which ought to have left a clear isotopic signature in lunar rocks. The question then arose: what happened to Theia?
Reviving Darwin's Fission Hypothesis
Over time, scientists proposed various explanations for Theia's apparent disappearance. Some suggested its fragments merged directly with Earth's core following the impact, while others argued they formed the two large low-velocity provinces now thought to sit at the boundary between Earth's core and mantle.
But what if the answer is far simpler? Darwin's fission hypothesis neatly accounts for the isotopic evidence, as the Moon would have formed entirely from Earth's mantle and crust. Could this long-discarded idea be revived?
Around a decade ago, researchers in the Netherlands and Russia suggested that such a scenario might indeed be possible. They proposed that lunar fission was triggered by a vast nuclear explosion at the boundary between Earth's core and mantle. In this model, the proto-Earth could have rotated more slowly, with a day lasting four to six hours, while still possessing an angular momentum comparable to that of the present Earth-Moon system.
However, the idea faced serious challenges. It required an extraordinarily high concentration of fissile elements to have accumulated at a single location along the core-mantle boundary, for which there was no supporting geochemical evidence.
New Insights from Lambda (Ʌ) luminosity and Planetary Energy
Any explosive model for lunar formation must therefore address two key questions: what provided the energy for the explosion, and how was that energy focused so precisely within the Earth?
Addressing the first question, theoretical work in astrophysics and geophysics points to a potential energy source. The research suggests that, in mass systems of all scales — from atoms to the universe itself — internal gravitational potential energy is gradually converted into photons and heat. The findings are published in the journal Acta Geochimica.
This process can be expressed with a simple equation: LɅ=-UH₀, where U represents internal gravitational potential energy (which is negative), H₀ is the Hubble constant, and LɅ — termed the Lambda (Ʌ) luminosity — describes the resulting energy output.
Because the Hubble constant is extremely small, confirming this effect in laboratory settings is exceptionally difficult. As a result, the strongest evidence comes from astrophysical and geophysical observations. In stars such as the Sun, Lambda luminosity is overshadowed by nuclear fusion, but in white dwarfs and neutron stars it becomes enormous—far exceeding the Sun's luminosity.
Linking Cosmology, Plate Tectonics and Lunar Ejection
New approaches to gravity and cosmology could also be built around LɅ. In cosmological terms, the energy released from the gravitational energy of the entire universe through LɅ may act as Einstein's original cosmological constant, Ʌ, preventing the universe from collapsing into a singularity. In this view, gravity can be understood as the reverse side of the same process.
The connection between LɅ and the lunar ejection model lies in geophysics. The long-standing "slab pull" explanation for mantle convection has come under scrutiny, as evidence suggests that cold lithospheric slabs may not sink all the way into the lower mantle. The new theory proposes that Lambda luminosity could instead power plate tectonics through mantle plumes alone — a fresh perspective readers can contrast with climate and planetary change discussions on Earth Day Harsh Reality, such as climate feedback mechanisms in ocean systems.
Mantle Dynamics and Proto-Earth Expansion
As minerals transported by these plumes reach the upper mantle, they transition into lower-density forms because of reduced pressure. If this process is not fully offset by subduction, it would lead to extremely small annual increases in Earth's radius and volume — a phenomenon for which satellite data have now provided evidence.
Within the proto-Earth, much of this LɅ energy would have been channelled into the core. With plate tectonics — and its associated cooling — yet to develop, this energy could have built up over millions of years, eventually reaching a level sufficient to trigger the ejection of the Moon.
The Big Question — Focused Lunar Explosion
This, however, left a second unresolved question: why was this energy released in a violent, focused explosion at a single location within Earth?
Recent advances in geophysics offer a potential answer. Researchers have made significant strides in identifying and characterizing the large low-velocity provinces (LLVPs) and exploring their possible roles in shaping planetary evolution.
For decades, the origins of two vast, continent-sized structures perched on the core-mantle boundary — one beneath the Pacific and the other below Africa — have baffled scientists. The large low-velocity provinces (LLVPs) appear to behave like clusters of thermochemical plumes, consistent with models showing two opposing hotspots in Earth's global heat flow.
A New Lunar Ejection Mechanism
From this perspective, a mechanism for lunar ejection begins to emerge. Soon after the proto-Earth formed, Lambda luminosity pumped heat into the core, creating a hot equatorial belt and giving rise to two opposing proto-LLVPs.
The LLVP plume bundles gradually weakened the overlying mantle, both mechanically and thermally, effectively setting the stage for a dramatic ejection event. Energy steadily built up within the LLVPs, creating supercritical zones rich in heated, lightweight elements. A violent eruption within the proto-Pacific LLVP — comparable to a planetary-scale kimberlite blast — then hurled mantle, crustal and LLVP material into low Earth orbit, where it ultimately coalesced to form the Moon.
Broader Evolutionary Implications and Future Risks
In this framework, Lambda luminosity emerges as a driving force behind Earth's entire evolutionary history. It is a persistent process that has likely triggered many of the planet's major mass extinction events — and future research will explore whether geological shifts like the uplift of the Himalayas may signal the onset of the next major episode.
Readers can explore other wide-ranging Earth science reports at FSNews365, including studies transforming our understanding of reality and planetary processes.
A Hopeful Cosmic Perspective
There is, however, a more hopeful implication. A corollary of LɅ is a gradual expansion of gravitational orbits over time, for which evidence already exists. This slow outward drift could help keep Earth habitable for longer, as increasing distance from the Sun offsets the star's gradual expansion.
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