Deep lunar interior inferred from recent seismic data
Abstract
Analysis of recent lunar seismic data from distant meteoroid impacts, high-frequency teleseismic events and deep moonquakes shows several significant deviations of P- and S-wave travel times from those expected if the lunar interior were homogeneous below the crust. These data are interpreted resulting in a lunar model consisting of at least four and possibly five distinguishable zones: (I) the 50 to 60 km thick crust characterized by seismic velocities appropriate for plagioclase-rich materials, (II) the 250 km thick upper mantle characterized by seismic velocities consistent with an olivine-pyroxene composition, (III) the 500 km thick middle mantle characterized by a high (0.33 - 0.36) Poisson's ratio, (IV) the lower mantle characterized by high shear-wave attenuation and possibly (V) a core of radius between 170 and 360 km characterized by a greatly reduced compressional wave velocity.
- Publication:
-
Geophysical Research Letters
- Pub Date:
- July 1974
- DOI:
- 10.1029/GL001i003p00137
- Bibcode:
- 1974GeoRL...1..137N
- Keywords:
-
- Planetology: Interior of moon (tectonics;
- force fields;
- composition;
- etc.);
- Seismology: Body waves