Lunar magma transport phenomena

Spera, Frank J.

doi:10.1016/0016-7037(92)90187-n

Cited by 114 publications

(101 citation statements)

References 61 publications

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“…Prior to the formation of a stable solid crust, convective cooling and solidification of the magma ocean will be rapid (cf. [19,20]). The rate of solidification would slow dramatically, however, once the magma ocean is blanketed by a stable plagioclase-rich crust [ 16].…”

Section: Solidification Of the Magma Ocean: Initial Chemical Stratifimentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The sinking and associated mixing of cumulates represents a process by which KREEl'-rich cumulates and IBC could be dispersed throughout tile mantle (see also [19,40]). Such mixing would reduce the density stratification shown in Fig.…”

Section: Large Scale Overturn Of Initial Unstable Stratificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The initial stratification of the magma ocean cumulate can only be estimated given the possible complexities associated with the crystallization of a magma body.of such extraordinary size (e.g., [19,20]). The solidification of this magma ocean could be approximated by models of near-equilibrium crystallization to nearperfect fractional crystallization, or some combination of both processes occurring at different stages.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A model for the thermal and chemical evolution of the Moon's interior: implications for the onset of mare volcanism

Hess

Parmentier

1995

Earth and Planetary Science Letters

366

359

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Section: Solidification Of the Magma Ocean: Initial Chemical Stratifimentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Large Scale Overturn Of Initial Unstable Stratificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A model for the thermal and chemical evolution of the Moon's interior: implications for the onset of mare volcanism

Hess

Parmentier

1995

Earth and Planetary Science Letters

366

359

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“…In contrast, the relative abundance of ilmenite and clinopyroxene in late-stage cumulates is thought to be 1:5 to 1.6 (e.g., Snyder et al, 1992). Severe nonmodal assimilation, favoring A second model for high-Ti magma production involves overturn of the gravitationally unstable magma ocean cumulate pile to produce a mixed, hybrid lunar mantle (Ringwood and Kesson, 1976;Herbert, 1980;Hess, 1991;Spera, 1992;Hess and Parmentier, 1995). Partial melting within this heterogeneous mantle is thought to account for the compositions of low-and high-Ti ultramafic glasses.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Origin of lunar high‐titanium ultramafic glasses: Constraints from phase relations and dissolution kinetics of clinopyroxene‐ilmenite cumulates

Orman

Grove

2000

Meteorit & Planetary Scien

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Abstract-Phase equilibrium and dissolution kinetics experiments on synthetic late-stage magma ocean cumulates are used to place constraints on hypotheses for the origin of lunar high-Ti ultramafic glasses. Models for the production of high-Ti lunar magmas have called for either (1) assimilation of late-stage clinopyroxene-ilmenite cumulates at shallow levels or (2) sinking of clinopyroxene-ilmenite cumulates to form a hybrid mantle source. To satisfy the constraints of our experiments, we propose an alternative model that involves shallow-level reaction and mixing of cumulates, followed by sinking of hybrid high-Ti materials. This model can fulfill compositional requirements imposed by the pristine lunar glass suite that are difficult to satisfy in assimilation models. It also avoids difficulties that arise in overturn models from the low solidus temperatures of clinopyroxene-ilmenite cumulates. Partially molten clinopyroxene-ilmenite cumulates become gravitationally unstable with respect to underlying mafic cumulates only when they have cooled to within -30 "C of their solidus (-1 125 "C at 100 km depth). At these temperatures, the viscosity of mafic cumulates is too high to allow for growth and descent of clinopyroxene-ilmenite diapirs on the appropriate time scale. Reaction and mixing between late-stage liquids and mafic cumulates at shallow levels would produce a refractory hybrid material that is negatively buoyant at higher temperatures and could sink more efficiently to the depths inferred for production of high-Ti ultramafic glasses.

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“…Even a thin nebular atmosphere may hold the surface above its solidus [32] and prevent formation of a quench crust (thus, no quench crust would be expected on larger planets such as the Moon or the Earth). Should surface temperatures exist that allow a quench crust, this crust would be denser than its underlying magma and would rapidly founder [33,34]. A possible quench crust on the Moon is critically different from a lava lake on the Earth: the lava crust clings to the solid sides of the lake, but on the Moon, its density would cause it to sink.…”

Section: Models Of Solidification (A) Density Evolution During Magma mentioning

confidence: 99%

Contraction or expansion of the Moon's crust during magma ocean freezing?

Elkins‐Tanton

Bercovici

2014

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A.

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The lack of contraction features on the Moon has been used to argue that the Moon underwent limited secular cooling, and thus had a relatively cool initial state. A cool early state in turn limits the depth of the lunar magma ocean. Recent GRAIL gravity measurements, however, suggest that dikes were emplaced in the lower crust, requiring global lunar expansion. Starting from the magma ocean state, we show that solidification of the lunar magma ocean would most likely result in expansion of the young lunar crust, and that viscous relaxation of the crust would prevent early tectonic features of contraction or expansion from being recorded permanently. The most likely process for creating the expansion recorded by the dikes is melting during cumulate overturn of the newly solidified lunar mantle.

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Lunar magma transport phenomena

Cited by 114 publications

References 61 publications

A model for the thermal and chemical evolution of the Moon's interior: implications for the onset of mare volcanism

A model for the thermal and chemical evolution of the Moon's interior: implications for the onset of mare volcanism

Origin of lunar high‐titanium ultramafic glasses: Constraints from phase relations and dissolution kinetics of clinopyroxene‐ilmenite cumulates

Contraction or expansion of the Moon's crust during magma ocean freezing?

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