Display options
Cite
Elkins-Tanton LT, Bercovici D. Contraction or expansion of the Moon's crust during magma ocean freezing?. Philos Trans A Math Phys Eng Sci. 2014;372(2024):20130240doi: 10.1098/rsta.2013.0240.
Elkins-Tanton, L. T., & Bercovici, D. (2014). Contraction or expansion of the Moon's crust during magma ocean freezing?. Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences, 372(2024), 20130240. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2013.0240
Elkins-Tanton, Linda T, and Bercovici, David. "Contraction or expansion of the Moon's crust during magma ocean freezing?." Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences vol. 372,2024 (2014): 20130240. doi: https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2013.0240
Elkins-Tanton LT, Bercovici D. Contraction or expansion of the Moon's crust during magma ocean freezing?. Philos Trans A Math Phys Eng Sci. 2014 Sep 13;372(2024):20130240. doi: 10.1098/rsta.2013.0240. PMID: 25114310; PMCID: PMC4128263.
Copy Download .nbib Format: NLM
Share it on

Philos Trans A Math Phys Eng Sci. 2014 Sep 13;372(2024):20130240. doi: 10.1098/rsta.2013.0240.

Contraction or expansion of the Moon's crust during magma ocean freezing?.

Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences

Linda T Elkins-Tanton, David Bercovici

Affiliations

  1. Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution for Science, Washington DC, USA [email protected].
  2. Department of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.

PMID: 25114310 PMCID: PMC4128263 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2013.0240

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.

© 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Keywords: lithospheric deformation; lunar crust; magma ocean

References

  1. Science. 2013 Feb 8;339(6120):671-5 - PubMed
  2. Science. 1999 Feb 26;283(5406):1314-1317 - PubMed
  3. Philos Trans A Math Phys Eng Sci. 2008 Nov 28;366(1883):4061-75 - PubMed
  4. Science. 2013 Feb 8;339(6120):675-8 - PubMed
  5. Science. 1970 Nov 27;170(3961):969-74 - PubMed

Publication Types