Abstract
The lack of contraction features on the Moon has been used to argue that the Moon underwent limited secular cooling, and thus had a relatively cool initial state. A cool early state in turn limits the depth of the lunar magma ocean. Recent GRAIL gravity measurements, however, suggest that dikes were emplaced in the lower crust, requiring global lunar expansion. Starting from the magma ocean state, we show that solidification of the lunar magma ocean would most likely result in expansion of the young lunar crust, and that viscous relaxation of the crust would prevent early tectonic features of contraction or expansion from being recorded permanently. The most likely process for creating the expansion recorded by the dikes is melting during cumulate overturn of the newly solidified lunar mantle.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | 20130240 |
| Journal | Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences |
| Volume | 372 |
| Issue number | 2024 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 13 2014 |
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Keywords
- Lithospheric deformation
- Lunar crust
- Magma ocean
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Mathematics(all)
- Physics and Astronomy(all)
- Engineering(all)
Cite this
Contraction or expansion of the Moon's crust during magma ocean freezing? / Elkins-Tanton, Linda; Bercovici, David.
In: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, Vol. 372, No. 2024, 20130240, 13.09.2014.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Contraction or expansion of the Moon's crust during magma ocean freezing?
AU - Elkins-Tanton, Linda
AU - Bercovici, David
PY - 2014/9/13
Y1 - 2014/9/13
N2 - The lack of contraction features on the Moon has been used to argue that the Moon underwent limited secular cooling, and thus had a relatively cool initial state. A cool early state in turn limits the depth of the lunar magma ocean. Recent GRAIL gravity measurements, however, suggest that dikes were emplaced in the lower crust, requiring global lunar expansion. Starting from the magma ocean state, we show that solidification of the lunar magma ocean would most likely result in expansion of the young lunar crust, and that viscous relaxation of the crust would prevent early tectonic features of contraction or expansion from being recorded permanently. The most likely process for creating the expansion recorded by the dikes is melting during cumulate overturn of the newly solidified lunar mantle.
AB - The lack of contraction features on the Moon has been used to argue that the Moon underwent limited secular cooling, and thus had a relatively cool initial state. A cool early state in turn limits the depth of the lunar magma ocean. Recent GRAIL gravity measurements, however, suggest that dikes were emplaced in the lower crust, requiring global lunar expansion. Starting from the magma ocean state, we show that solidification of the lunar magma ocean would most likely result in expansion of the young lunar crust, and that viscous relaxation of the crust would prevent early tectonic features of contraction or expansion from being recorded permanently. The most likely process for creating the expansion recorded by the dikes is melting during cumulate overturn of the newly solidified lunar mantle.
KW - Lithospheric deformation
KW - Lunar crust
KW - Magma ocean
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U2 - 10.1098/rsta.2013.0240
DO - 10.1098/rsta.2013.0240
M3 - Article
VL - 372
JO - Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences
JF - Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences
SN - 0962-8428
IS - 2024
M1 - 20130240
ER -