Physics
Scientific paper
Feb 1998
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1998jgr...103.3709a&link_type=abstract
Journal of Geophysical Research, vol. 103, p. 3709
Physics
26
Lunar Surface, Mascons, Lunar Gravitation, Satellite Imagery, Lunar Crust, Lunar Maria, Topography, Clementine Spacecraft, Thickness
Scientific paper
The entire spectra of the surface topography and gravity field of lunar mascons are well presented by the high-resolution Clementine data. The negative correlation between the topography and gravitational potential of the mascons suggests that they are dynamically supported. Both elastic support and viscous decay models are examined. For the elastic support models, the spectral characteristics and the lateral variations of the thickness of the elastic layer are determined on the basis of the thin spherical shell flexure formulation and using only the antivarying harmonics of the topography and potential. An elastic layer thickness of about 50 km is required to support Imbrium, Serenitatis, and Nectaris mascons, about 35 km for Crisium mascon, and about 30 km for Smythii and Humorum mascons. A layer of about 20 km thickness can support Orientale mascon. The strength envelopes of the upper 100 km of the moon within 4-3 Gyr ago show that the elastic layer was not thick enough to support the mascons in the 'early history'. They decayed through viscous deformation of the lunar interior. A lower limit of 6 x 10 exp 24 Pa s is estimated for the lunar viscosity within 3.6-3 Gyr ago. We also determine the thicknesses of the crust and mare flows of the mascon basins on the basis of the assumption that the basins were isostatically compensated prior to the mascon formation.
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