Magmatic Effects of the Lunar Late Heavy Bombardment

Details Magmatic Effects of the Lunar Late Heavy Bombardment Magmatic Effects of the Lunar Late Heavy Bombardment

May 2001

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2001agusm...p21a10e&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Spring Meeting 2001, abstract #P21A-10

Physics

Geophysics

3200 Mathematical Geophysics (New Field), 5420 Impact Phenomena (Includes Cratering), 5480 Volcanism (8450), 6250 Moon (1221)

Scientific paper

Giant impacts can create large volumes of melt through instantaneous in-situ depressurization. Following isostatic uplift of the crater floor, horizontal temperature gradients cause convection, compositional mixing, and additional adiabatic melting. We present models for melt creation under the lunar basins, with hypotheses for the formation of the mafic lower crust and the aluminous and KREEP basalts. The model results indicate that the large impacts on the near side of the moon may have significantly perturbed the upper mantle selenotherm, adding to long-term near side mare basalt formation, in particular, that of the high-Ti basalts. The thin crust, disturbed selenotherm, and brecciated lithosphere enable later mare and picritic glass formation and eruption. The advantages of this model are that it does not require asymmetrical concentrations of radiogenic heat sources and is consistent with gravity models of the lunar crust under the large basins and with petrologically constrained models of temperature and depth of mare basalt origin. The existence of a relationship between impact basins and mare basalt eruptions has been suggested by many investigators; in particular, large impacts are thought to have removed enough of the low-density crustal lid that heavier, liquid mare basalts could erupt. In this model, large impacts allow eruption, but also mix the upper moon compositionally, produce melting in the upper mantle, and create conditions conducive to later mare basalt production.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Magmatic Effects of the Lunar Late Heavy Bombardment does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Magmatic Effects of the Lunar Late Heavy Bombardment, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Magmatic Effects of the Lunar Late Heavy Bombardment will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1271942