Researchers discover massive buried volcanic complex on Moon's far side

An international research team has discovered a massive buried volcanic complex on the far side of the Moon. Located in the Dewar Region, the structure is approximately 60 kilometers wide and up to nine kilometers deep, consisting of solidified magma.

Published in the journal Science Advances, the findings suggest that the Moon may have possessed a significantly strong magnetic field approximately 4.2 billion years ago. Researchers identified the site by combining gravity and magnetic field data from several lunar missions, including NASA’s GRAIL probe, the Japanese Kaguya probe, and the Lunar Prospector.

The discovery was made possible through the collaboration of institutions including ETH Zürich, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), TU Berlin, and the Institute for Space Research in Graz. The solidified magma in the Dewar Region exhibits both high rock density and intense remnant magnetization.