Lunar igneous rocks and the nature of the lunar interior
Abstract
Lunar igneous rocks are interpreted, which can give useful information about mineral assemblages and mineral chemistry as a function of depth in the lunar interior. Terra rocks, though intensely brecciated, reveal, in their chemistry, evidence for a magmatic history. Partial melting of feldspathic lunar crustal material occurred in the interval 4.6 to 3.9 gy. Melting of ilmenite-bearing cumulates at depths near 100 km produced parent magmas for Apollo 11 and 17 titaniferous mare basalts in the interval 3.8 to 3.6 gy. Melting of ilmenite-free olivine pyroxenites at depths greater than 200 km produced low-titanium mare basalts in the interval 3.4 to 3.1 gy. No younger igneous rocks have yet been recognized among the lunar samples and present-day melting seems to be limited to depths greater than 1000 km.
- Publication:
-
Soviet-American Conference on the Cosmochemistry of the Moon and Planets
- Pub Date:
- July 1974
- Bibcode:
- 1974map..confQ...4H
- Keywords:
-
- Igneous Rocks;
- Lunar Geology;
- Lunar Rocks;
- Lunar Surface;
- Chemical Analysis;
- Lunar Crust;
- Lunar Landing Sites;
- Lunar Magnetic Fields;
- Minerals;
- Lunar and Planetary Exploration