Results from the Apollo passive seismic experiment

Recent results from the Apollo seismic network suggest that primitive differentiation occurred in the outer shell of the moon to a depth of approximately 300 km; and the central region of the moon is presently molten to a radius of between 200 and 300 km. If early melting to a depth of 300 to 400 km was a consequence of accretional energy, very short accretion times are required. The best model for the zone of original differentiation appears to be a crust 40 to 80 km thick, ranging in composition from anorthositic gabbro to gabbro; overlying an ultramafic cumulate (olivine-pyroxene) about 250 km thick. The best candidate for the molten core appears to be iron or iron sulphide. A new class of seismic signals has recently been identified that may correspond to shallow moonquakes. These are rare, but much more energetic than the more numerous, deep moonquakes.