A Low-Viscosity Lower Lunar Mantle Implied by Measured Monthly and Yearly Tides

Sander Goossens; Isamu Matsuyama; Gael Cascioli; Erwan Mazarico

doi:10.1029/2024AV001285

A Low-Viscosity Lower Lunar Mantle Implied by Measured Monthly and Yearly Tides

Sander Goossens, Isamu Matsuyama, Gael Cascioli, Erwan Mazarico

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Moon's frequency-dependent tidal response, expressed as temporal variations in its gravity field through the Love number (Formula presented.) and as dissipation through the quality factor (Formula presented.), provides information about its interior structure. Lunar laser ranging has provided measurements for (Formula presented.), but so far no frequency-dependent values for (Formula presented.) have been determined. We provide the first spacecraft measurements of (Formula presented.) and (Formula presented.) at two frequencies, monthly and yearly, from an analysis of Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory and Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter radio tracking data. Interior modeling indicates that these values can be matched only with a low-viscosity zone at the base of the lunar mantle, even when using complex rheological laws to model the mantle's response. The existence of this zone has profound implications for the Moon's thermal state and evolution.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	e2024AV001285
Journal	AGU Advances
Volume	5
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2024AV001285
State	Published - Oct 2024

Keywords

frequency-dependent tides
GRAIL
LRO
Lunar interior

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Earth and Planetary Sciences

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10.1029/2024AV001285

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abstract = "The Moon's frequency-dependent tidal response, expressed as temporal variations in its gravity field through the Love number (Formula presented.) and as dissipation through the quality factor (Formula presented.), provides information about its interior structure. Lunar laser ranging has provided measurements for (Formula presented.), but so far no frequency-dependent values for (Formula presented.) have been determined. We provide the first spacecraft measurements of (Formula presented.) and (Formula presented.) at two frequencies, monthly and yearly, from an analysis of Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory and Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter radio tracking data. Interior modeling indicates that these values can be matched only with a low-viscosity zone at the base of the lunar mantle, even when using complex rheological laws to model the mantle's response. The existence of this zone has profound implications for the Moon's thermal state and evolution.",

keywords = "frequency-dependent tides, GRAIL, LRO, Lunar interior",

author = "Sander Goossens and Isamu Matsuyama and Gael Cascioli and Erwan Mazarico",

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AU - Goossens, Sander

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AU - Cascioli, Gael

AU - Mazarico, Erwan

PY - 2024/10

Y1 - 2024/10

N2 - The Moon's frequency-dependent tidal response, expressed as temporal variations in its gravity field through the Love number (Formula presented.) and as dissipation through the quality factor (Formula presented.), provides information about its interior structure. Lunar laser ranging has provided measurements for (Formula presented.), but so far no frequency-dependent values for (Formula presented.) have been determined. We provide the first spacecraft measurements of (Formula presented.) and (Formula presented.) at two frequencies, monthly and yearly, from an analysis of Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory and Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter radio tracking data. Interior modeling indicates that these values can be matched only with a low-viscosity zone at the base of the lunar mantle, even when using complex rheological laws to model the mantle's response. The existence of this zone has profound implications for the Moon's thermal state and evolution.

AB - The Moon's frequency-dependent tidal response, expressed as temporal variations in its gravity field through the Love number (Formula presented.) and as dissipation through the quality factor (Formula presented.), provides information about its interior structure. Lunar laser ranging has provided measurements for (Formula presented.), but so far no frequency-dependent values for (Formula presented.) have been determined. We provide the first spacecraft measurements of (Formula presented.) and (Formula presented.) at two frequencies, monthly and yearly, from an analysis of Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory and Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter radio tracking data. Interior modeling indicates that these values can be matched only with a low-viscosity zone at the base of the lunar mantle, even when using complex rheological laws to model the mantle's response. The existence of this zone has profound implications for the Moon's thermal state and evolution.

KW - frequency-dependent tides

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KW - Lunar interior

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A Low-Viscosity Lower Lunar Mantle Implied by Measured Monthly and Yearly Tides

Abstract

Keywords

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