A physical and chemical model of early lunar historyA 'cool' thermal model of the moon's early history is discussed in terms of lunar petrology. Heat from the totally molten outer half of the moon's volume was, according to the model, lost to space and to the lunar interior, so that, barring additions of heat from external sources, all petrogenesis operating exclusively on material of the initially totally molten zone must have occured in an environment of decreasing temperatures. Mare basalts would result from hybridization by migration, mixing, and reequilibration of a variety of intercumulus liquids. Evidence is considered for the layered structure and a significant structural boundary that should result from differentiation of the approximately 350-km-thick initially totally molten zone. Magnetization of lunar rocks is considered.
Document ID
19780062752
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Authors
Hubbard, N. J. (NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Minear, J. W. (NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, Tex., United States)