On fission and the devolatilization of a moon of fission origin
Abstract
Observations of solar-type spectroscopic binary stars show that most of these objects were formed by rotational fission. By analogy, this empirical confirmation of the fission process is used to support the fission origin of the moon. The depletion of the volatile elements in the moon is explained as being due to their preferential evaporation from the initially hot (2000-4000°C) moon into an early primitive atmosphere. This atmosphere was simultaneously lost from the moon via transfer through the L 1 point and captured by the earth.
- Publication:
-
Earth and Planetary Science Letters
- Pub Date:
- November 1978
- DOI:
- 10.1016/0012-821X(78)90193-0
- Bibcode:
- 1978E&PSL..41..381B
- Keywords:
-
- Earth-Moon System;
- Fission;
- Gravitational Effects;
- Lunar Atmosphere;
- Lunar Evolution;
- Volatility;
- Earth Core;
- Isothermal Processes;
- Lagrangian Equilibrium Points;
- Lunar Equator;
- Mass Transfer;
- Primitive Earth Atmosphere;
- MANTLE;
- MOON;
- FISSION;
- ORIGIN;
- STARS;
- EARTH;
- CRUST;
- OBSERVATIONS;
- PRESSURE;
- TEMPERATURES;
- COOLING;
- HEATING;
- ACCRETION;
- ATMOSPHERE;
- VOLATILIZATION