Equipotential doming in flooded circular basins on the moonA procedure is presented that permits determination of the shape of the gravity field due to an arbitrary mass configuration with circular symmetry. The procedure is used to model the shape of the field associated with the lunar circular basins. The mean slopes of the equipotential surfaces generated by a superisostatic deposit corresponding to a near-surface Crisium-size mascon are calculated to fall within the range from 1:700 to 1:1000; those generated by a mantle rebound of the same excess mass, at 60 km below the lunar surface, cluster around the value of 1:1500.
Document ID
19780057683
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Authors
Roth, L. E. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Elachi, C. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Phillips, R. J. (California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena Calif., United States)