Geology, geochemistry, and geophysics of the Moon: Status of current understanding

Jaumann, R.; Hiesinger, H.; Anand, M.; Crawford, Ian; Wagner, Roland; Sohl, F.; Jolliff, Bradley L.; Scholten, F.; Knapmeyer, Martin; Hoffmann, H.; Hußmann, H.; Grott, M.; Hempel, S.; Köhler, Ulrich; Krohn, Katrin; Schmitz, Nicole; Carpenter, James; Wieczorek, M. A.; Spohn, Tilman; Robinson, M. S.; Oberst, J.

doi:10.1016/j.pss.2012.08.019

Cited by 117 publications

(86 citation statements)

References 220 publications

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“…In view of the steady progresses in the Lunar Laser Ranging (LLR) technique, 147 which, in the last decades, has been able to determine the Selenian k orbit at a cm level of accuracy or better 148 allowing for accurate tests of GTR, 149 a major limiting factor in our knowledge of the celestial course of the Moon is currently represented by a correct description of the complex geophysical processes taking place in the interior of both our planet 150 and its natural satellite. 151 It seems that, nowadays, the Selenian orbital motion has again become a source of puzzling for scientists. …”

Section: The Anomalous Secular Increase Of the Eccentricity Of The Momentioning

confidence: 99%

Gravitational anomalies in the solar system?

Iorio

2015

Int. J. Mod. Phys. D

100

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Mindful of the anomalous perihelion precession of Mercury discovered by U. Le Verrier in the second half of the nineteenth century and its successful explanation by A. Einstein with his General Theory of Relativity in the early years of the twentieth century, discrepancies among observed effects in our Solar system and their theoretical predictions on the basis of the currently accepted laws of gravitation applied to known matter-energy distributions have the potential of paving the way for remarkable advances in fundamental physics. This is particularly important now more than ever, given that most of the universe seems to be made of unknown substances dubbed Dark Matter and Dark Energy. Should this not be directly the case, Solar system's anomalies could anyhow lead to advancements in either cumulative science, as shown to us by the discovery of Neptune in the first half of the nineteenth century, and technology itself. Moreover, investigations in one of such directions can serendipitously enrich the other one as well. The current status of some alleged gravitational anomalies in the Solar system is critically reviewed. They are: a) Possible anomalous advances of planetary perihelia; b) Unexplained orbital residuals of a recently discovered moon of Uranus (Mab); c) The lingering unexplained secular increase of the eccentricity of the orbit of the Moon; d) The so-called Faint Young Sun Paradox; e) The secular decrease of the mass parameter of the Sun; f) The Flyby Anomaly; g) The Pioneer Anomaly; and h) The anomalous secular increase of the astronomical unit

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Section: The Anomalous Secular Increase Of the Eccentricity Of The Momentioning

confidence: 99%

Gravitational anomalies in the solar system?

Iorio

2015

Int. J. Mod. Phys. D

100

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“…The present day internal architecture of the Moon has been constrained to: an upper mantle from 60 to 400 km; a mantle transition zone from 400 to 800 km; a lower mantle from to (at least) 1100 km; a fluid outer core (350 km radius); and a solid inner core (160 km radius, Figure 3a: [63][64][65]). In the absence of plate tectonics, the lunar crust and mantle have remained physically separate for the past ~4 billion years [64,66]. In order to better evaluate potential lunar resources, the geochemical differentiation processes associated with lunar formation and evolution need to be understood [67].…”

Section: The Lunar Magma Oceanmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sources of Extraterrestrial Rare Earth Elements: To the Moon and Beyond

McLeod

Krekeler

2017

Resources

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Abstract:The resource budget of Earth is limited. Rare-earth elements (REEs) are used across the world by society on a daily basis yet several of these elements have <2500 years of reserves left, based on current demand, mining operations, and technologies. With an increasing population, exploration of potential extraterrestrial REE resources is inevitable, with the Earth's Moon being a logical first target. Following lunar differentiation at~4.50-4.45 Ga, a late-stage (after~99% solidification) residual liquid enriched in Potassium (K), Rare-earth elements (REE), and Phosphorus (P), (or "KREEP") formed. Today, the KREEP-rich region underlies the Oceanus Procellarum and Imbrium Basin region on the lunar near-side (the Procellarum KREEP Terrain, PKT) and has been tentatively estimated at preserving 2.2 × 10 8 km 3 of KREEP-rich lithologies. The majority of lunar samples (Apollo, Luna, or meteoritic samples) contain REE-bearing minerals as trace phases, e.g., apatite and/or merrillite, with merrillite potentially contributing up to 3% of the PKT. Other lunar REE-bearing lunar phases include monazite, yittrobetafite (up to 94,500 ppm yttrium), and tranquillityite (up to 4.6 wt % yttrium, up to 0.25 wt % neodymium), however, lunar sample REE abundances are low compared to terrestrial ores. At present, there is no geological, mineralogical, or chemical evidence to support REEs being present on the Moon in concentrations that would permit their classification as ores. However, the PKT region has not yet been mapped at high resolution, and certainly has the potential to yield higher REE concentrations at local scales (<10s of kms). Future lunar exploration and mapping efforts may therefore reveal new REE deposits. Beyond the Moon, Mars and other extraterrestrial materials are host to REEs in apatite, chevkinite-perrierite, merrillite, whitlockite, and xenotime. These phases are relatively minor components of the meteorites studied to date, constituting <0.6% of the total sample. Nonetheless, they dominate a samples REE budget with their abundances typically 1-2 orders of magnitude enriched relative to their host rock. As with the Moon, though phases which host REEs have been identified, no extraterrestrial REE resource, or ore, has been identified yet. At present extraterrestrial materials are therefore not suitable REE-mining targets. However, they are host to other resources that will likely be fundamental to the future of space exploration and support the development of in situ resource utilization, for example: metals (Fe, Al, Mg, PGEs) and water.

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“…As the Moon is lacking plate tectonics, an atmosphere, water and life, it allows us to study volcanic processes in an unobscured form (e.g. Hiesinger & Head 2006;Jaumann et al 2012;Hiesinger & Jaumann 2014). Analyses Fig.…”

Section: The Moonmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Finally, the Moon is unique in that it allows us to assess a wide range of eruption styles, including pyroclastic activity, and their petrogenetic significance owing to the existence and preservation of an assorted suite of volcanic deposits (e.g. Hiesinger & Head 2006;Jaumann et al 2012;Hiesinger & Jaumann 2014).…”

Section: The Moonmentioning

confidence: 99%

Volcanism and tectonism across the inner solar system: an overview

Platz

Byrne

Massironi

et al. 2014

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Volcanism and tectonism are the dominant endogenic means by which planetary surfaces change. This book, in general, and this overview, in particular, aim to encompass the broad range in character of volcanism, tectonism, faulting and associated interactions observed on planetary bodies across the inner solar system -a region that includes Mercury, Venus, Earth, the Moon, Mars and asteroids. The diversity and breadth of landforms produced by volcanic and tectonic processes are enormous, and vary across the inventory of inner solar system bodies. As a result, the selection of prevailing landforms and their underlying formational processes that are described and highlighted in this review are but a primer to the expansive field of planetary volcanism and tectonism. In addition to this extended introductory contribution, this Special Publication features 21 dedicated research articles about volcanic and tectonic processes manifest across the inner solar system. Those articles are summarized at the end of this review.

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Geology, geochemistry, and geophysics of the Moon: Status of current understanding

Cited by 117 publications

References 220 publications

Gravitational anomalies in the solar system?

Gravitational anomalies in the solar system?

Sources of Extraterrestrial Rare Earth Elements: To the Moon and Beyond

Volcanism and tectonism across the inner solar system: an overview

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