Further efforts to limit lunar internal temperatures from electrical conductivity determinations.

L. L. Hood, F. Herbert, C. P. Sonett

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

17 Scopus citations

Abstract

A Monte Carlo procedure is used to generate a representative set of 18 electrical conductivity profiles that are consistent with published lunar transfer function data in the 10-5 to 10-3 Hz range. The electrical conductivity is most strongly constrained by these data in the 450-1350 km depth range. Published electrical conductivity data vs T data (extrapolated to higher and lower T) are applied to convert the 18 profiles into T profiles for a series of radially homogeneous olivine-pyroxene mixtures ranging from 100% olivine to 100% aluminous orthopyroxene. The 100% olivine composition yields selenotherms that approach the Ringwood-Essene solidus at depths near 500 km, while the addition of aluminous orthopyroxene in excess of 15-30 vol.% leads to cooler selenotherms that approach the solidus only at depths >1000 km. The shape of the T-depth profiles is not strongly sensitive to the olivine/pyroxene ratio if the assumption of radial homogeneity is valid at depths >450-500 km. It is concluded that present-day selenotherms calculated according to thermal history models indicate the greatest consistency with the model of Toksoz et al. (Moon & Planets, 18, 1978, pp 281-320), which assumes initial partial melting and differentiation to a depth of 500 km and radial heat transport by subsolidus convection only during the first b.y. of lunar history. -P.Br.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)A109-A116
JournalJournal of geophysical research
Volume87
Issue numberSupplement
DOIs
StatePublished - 1982

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geophysics
  • Forestry
  • Oceanography
  • Aquatic Science
  • Ecology
  • Water Science and Technology
  • Soil Science
  • Geochemistry and Petrology
  • Earth-Surface Processes
  • Atmospheric Science
  • Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous)
  • Space and Planetary Science
  • Palaeontology

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