Scientists from the Institute of Geochemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have identified exotic rocks in lunar samples brought to Earth by the Chang’e-5 interplanetary spacecraft. This is reported in an article published in the journal Nature Astronomy.

The researchers analyzed about 3,000 basalt regolith particles smaller than two millimeters and two billion years old. The specimens were collected in a young lava plain area at the foot of Rumker Peak, a mountain of volcanic origin in the northern part of the Boer Ocean.

The scientists found seven types of exotic clastic rocks, including titanium-enriched vitreous (vitrophy) fragments, titanium-depleted basalt, olivine-pyroxenite, magnesium anorthosite, manganese-rich olivine fragments, pyroclastic glass beads and evolved enclosure rocks. They are materials from impacts of celestial bodies in other regions of the Moon, 50-400 kilometers from the landing site of Chanye-5.

Pyroclastic glass beads show as yet unidentified volcanic eruptions that produced emissions of materials with a unique chemical composition. In addition, the fact that the exotic rock content in the samples (0.2 percent) was significantly lower compared to the expected values ​​(10-20 percent) may mean that existing models of impact sediment formation need to be revised for younger geological masses.