Minerals and Origin of the Moon Triana Henz Formation Theories Fission Capture Co formation Giant Impact Data High angular momentum Low iron core Identical abundances of oxygen isotopes Giant Impact Exchange Giant Impact Uncertainty Faster cooling rate Rotation of disk might have inhibited radial diffusion Either enrich or same as the Earth in REE thorium uranium zirconium and FeO Mineral Make up Thick crust has feldspar and pyroxene Feldspar is mainly anorthite CaAl2Si2O8 especially if the melt is pyroxene and olivine rich Low density means that it most likely doesn t have an iron core Same density as ordinary rock Phenomenon Pristine highland rocks are extremely rare Probably due to gardening of the surface Highland is made from molten lunar material that crystallized slowly from deep inside Magma ocean froze over Radioactive isotopes decayed warming up interior Basalt erupted to low areas Composition Olivine dense in interiors and lava Pyroxene constituent in interiors where metallic iron is present Feldspar less dense crust Ilmenite lava titanium bearing Composition Eutectic composition can shift with pressure Determine depth of lava source Composition REE fit in where they can Feldspars rejects lighter REE Feldspars accepts denser REE Pyroxene is opposite Olivine rejects all Europium Eu is a characteristic of feldspars References Taylor G J 2008 Compositional Balancing Before Moon Formation Planetary Science Research Discoveries http www psrd hawaii edu Feb08 EarthM oonFormation html
View Full Document
Unlocking...