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Chang'e-6 samples reveal rebound in moon's magnetic field

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      China

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      Chang'e-6 samples reveal rebound in moon's magnetic field

      2025-01-15 12:30 Last Updated At:17:57

      Rock samples collected from the moon's far side by China's Chang'e-6 lunar probe have provided groundbreaking insights into the evolution of the lunar body's magnetic field.

      Studies of lunar samples the probe brought back to the Earth on June 25, 2024 suggest an unexpected resurgence in strength of the moon's magnetic field 2.8 billion years ago, following a sharp decline around 3.1 billion years ago. The finding challenges the prevailing theory that the moon's lunar dynamo remained in a low-energy state after that decline.

      It marks the first-ever paleomagnetic data obtained from the moon's far side and provides critical insights into the intermediate stages of the evolution of the lunar dynamo, the geophysical mechanism that generated the moon's magnetic field in the past.

      "We selected four millimeter-sized basalt fragments to study and found that the moon had a magnetic field 2.8 billion years ago with a strengthening trend," said Cai Shuhui, a researcher from the Institute of Geology and Geophysics (IGG) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

      The IGG's analysis of the samples offered the first ever scientific data regarding the evolution of the moon's magnetic field between 3 billion years ago and 2 billion years ago, and provided ancient magnetic field information of the moon's far side.

      "There was no data between 3 billion and 2 billion years ago. It was completely blank, and we didn't know how the magnetic field changed in this period. Previous research believed that the lunar magnetic field dropped sharply around 3.1 billion years ago and it probably remained in a very low energy state. Our discovery differs from this previous understanding. We found that it rebounded 2.8 billion years ago, which suggests that there could be fluctuations and rebounds after the sharp drop," Cai said.

      Lunar research through samples collected by the Chang'e-5 probe in 2020 also made new discoveries regarding the lunar magnetic field 2 billion years ago.

      "We found that 2 billion years ago, in the middle-to-late phase of the moon's evolution, there was a very weak dynamo magnetic field, with an approximate strength of 2 to 4 microteslas, less than 10 percent of the current Earth's magnetic field. This shows that 2 billion years ago, there might be a certain amount of vitality, and certain thermal convection or heat exchange inside the moon," Cai said.

      Satellite and lunar surface data show no global dipole magnetic field on the moon today. Previous research on lunar samples has revealed that the moon's magnetic field, similar to the Earth's around 4.2 to 3.5 billion years ago, experienced two sharp declines and shut down sometime after around 1 billion years ago.

      Chang'e-6 samples reveal rebound in moon's magnetic field

      Chang'e-6 samples reveal rebound in moon's magnetic field

      Chang'e-6 samples reveal rebound in moon's magnetic field

      Chang'e-6 samples reveal rebound in moon's magnetic field

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      Trump's tougher foreign policy threatens South Korea's economy: experts

      2025-01-26 01:48 Last Updated At:02:17

      South Korean experts have warned that the United States' new tougher foreign policy under President Donald Trump poses a threat to the East Asian country's economy which has already suffered a slowdown in growth amid an ongoing political crisis.

      Trump is expected to take a hard line on trade and diplomacy with South Korea. He wants the Asian partner to pay more for the stationing of over 28,000 U.S. troops in the country, while their trilateral security relationship with Japan is also likely to take a back seat under the newly inaugurated president.

      Trump's tariff-driven approach could also see South Korea diversify its markets away from the U.S. With an export-driven economy, according to experts.

      "Trump seems to be backing off on some of his remarks, but I think it is fairly definite that he will impose tariffs on a wide range of products as he has emphasized again and again that he has faith in the power of tariffs which virtually no economist shares," said Yang Jun-sok, a professor of economics at Catholic University of Korea.

      There is also concern that Trump's policies will be inflationary, making it hard for countries like South Korea to cut key lending rates, along with an expectation that Trump's second term will cause a global slowdown and add to the pain of South Korea's already sluggish economy.

      Another big concern for South Korea is security, some experts hold that Trump made no progress with de-nuclearization on the peninsula during his first term. Until last month, the U.S. had been expected to green-light South Korea's request to lift restrictions on reprocessing nuclear materials.

      "I don't think there's a reasonable chance for the Trump administration to actually allow South Korea to develop its own nuclear weapons because of the martial law declaration and the political chaos that ensued after the declaration," said Bong Young-shik, a research fellow at Yonsei University.

      The expert also noted that the political paralysis in South Korea caused by martial law since early December and the arrest of President Yoon Suk-yeol pose problems for Trump.

      "The main challenge must be the absence of reliable and responsible leadership," Bong added.

      New U.S. policy finds Seoul struggling with political turmoil, and follows extended national medical strikes. That's also the biggest concern in South Korea. Experts have warned that the political uncertainty is adding to market jitters.

      "The political turmoil comes on top of that risk and it's making the capital markets, the financial markets very nervous, it's also beginning to make the export market a bit nervous as well," said Yang.

      Trump's tougher foreign policy threatens South Korea's economy: experts

      Trump's tougher foreign policy threatens South Korea's economy: experts

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