The far side of the Moon provides clues to a previous magnetic field
ETH Zurich researchers used gravity and magnetic data from lunar orbiters to model a buried volcanic complex in the Dewar region, concluding that the Moon had an internal magnetic field about 4.2 billion years ago, likely generated by a core dynamo. They ruled out impact‑induced magnetisation and linked the magnetic anomaly to a lunar swirl, suggesting a protective magnetic field against solar wind. The study introduces a new method for inferring planetary dynamos from orbital data.
ETH Zurich researchers used gravity and magnetic data from lunar orbiters to model a buried volcanic complex in the Dewar region, concluding that the Moon had an internal magnetic field about 4.2 billion years ago, likely generated by a core dynamo. They ruled out impact‑induced magnetisation and linked the magnetic anomaly to a lunar swirl, suggesting a protective magnetic field against solar wind. The study introduces a new method for inferring planetary dynamos from orbital data.
The data‑fusion technique developed by ETH Zurich researchers could inform Swiss AI research in planetary science and advanced data integration methods.
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