Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 2003
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2003agufmgp22a..06s&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2003, abstract #GP22A-06
Physics
1521 Paleointensity, 5430 Interiors (8147), 5440 Magnetic Fields And Magnetism, 5455 Origin And Evolution, 8121 Dynamics, Convection Currents And Mantle Plumes
Scientific paper
We consider the early thermochemical history of the Moon and specifically address the question of how the Moon could have had an internally generated magnetic field suddenly 'switch-on' somewhat late in its evolution and then just as quickly 'switch-off'. It is commonly assumed the Moon never underwent mantle convection, given the majority of the surface geology is likely the original crust formed nearly simultaneous with the Moon. This can partially be explained by the fact that thermal evolution may well occur under the regime of stagnant-lid convection. Furthermore, there are a few clues that perhaps the Moon possessed a brief, internally generated magnetic field (Cisowski et al., 1983) and by implication, that the interior of the Moon was once convecting. Lunar samples returned from the Apollo missions provide a few which may contain a remnant thermal magnetism, possibly acquired during the Moon's 'magnetic era' (Cisowski et al., 1983). These samples also reveal the near side of the Moon contains large areas flooded with volcanic material, the lunar mare. These mare erupted during a pulse of magmatism beginning 0.5 billion years after the Moon had formed and mostly ended after 1 billion years of activity. We have recently shown (Stegman et al., 2003) that chemical overturn models suggested to explain the eruption of the Maria basalts may also account for the hitherto unexplained existence of a lunar magnetic field (core dynamo) at about the same time (~3-4 billion years ago). In this presentation, we will specifically discuss the plausibility of such a model within the context of current uncertainties of Lunar properties (e.g. core size, core composition, initial conditions, etc.).
Baumgardner Jeff
Jellinek M.
Richards Mercedes
Stegman Dave R.
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