Venus may have swallowed its past moon due to its extremely slow rotation
A study by the University of California, Riverside attributes the fact that Venus, along with Mercury, is one of the only planets without a moon to its slow rotation.
Researchers at the University of California, Riverside in the US have revealed that Venus, the planet of the Solar System without a moon, may have pulled in and swallowed its past moon due to its own slow rotation.
The Moonless Planet of the Solar System
A new astrophysical study conducted in the US examined the past condition of Venus, which, along with Mercury, is the only planet in the Solar System without a moon. Why Venus, which has a mass and size similar to Earth, remained moonless has continued to be a subject of curiosity.
Analysis with Computer Simulations
Researchers used advanced computer simulations to understand why Venus, which has dimensions similar to Earth, remained moonless. As a result of the analyses, it was understood that a massive cosmic collision from the outside was not necessary for a moon to disappear.
The Earth and Moon Example
It is known that Earth transfers the energy generated by its rotation around its own axis to the Moon, pushing its moon outward by approximately four centimeters per year. On Venus, which completes one rotation around itself in 243 days, it was determined that this process works in completely reverse fashion.
Spiral Inward Withdrawal
Due to the planet's extremely slow rotation and strong gravity, it was determined that a hypothetical moon would follow a spiral orbit and be pulled inward rather than moving outward. It was noted that this collision process was completed in a much shorter time for massive moons.
Surface Collision and Geological Effect
Dr. Stephen Kane, the lead author of the study, stated that in almost all of the simulations, the moon inevitably collided with the planet's surface. Scientists emphasized that this collision altered Venus's atmosphere and structure.
Possible Cause of the Arid Structure
It is thought that the massive energy released by a potential moon collision completely destroyed the geological structure, atmosphere, and possible oceans of Venus. It was reported that this situation may have driven the planet to its current arid and hot structure.
Seismic Measurement in Deep Layers
Due to the planet's surface being largely renewed 1 billion years ago, direct traces of the possible past collision have been erased from the surface. It was stated that these traces can only be detected through seismic measurements to be made in the deep layers of the planet.