Thermal Fossilization of the Lunar Crust During Early Tidal Locking
Fuente:
Zenodo
Gespeichert in:
| Hauptverfasser: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Recurso digital |
| Veröffentlicht: |
Zenodo
2025
|
| Schlagworte: | |
| Online-Zugang: | |
| Tags: |
Tag hinzufügen
Keine Tags, Fügen Sie den ersten Tag hinzu!
|
| _version_ | 1866901944173330432 |
|---|---|
| author | Smith, Jason Borabon, Charles |
| author_facet | Smith, Jason Borabon, Charles |
| contents | <p>This study presents a unified structural model for the Moon's hemispheric crustal dichotomy, mascon preservation patterns, and the absence of a mascon in the South Pole–Aitken basin. We propose that <strong>tidal locking during the solidification of the lunar magma ocean induced a long-lived thermal asymmetry</strong> between the Earth-facing and far sides of the Moon.</p> <p><strong>The near side remained hotter for longer</strong>, due to Earthshine, tidal dissipation, and radiative trapping, while <strong>the far side cooled earlier</strong>, forming a thicker, stiffer crust. This early divergence in thermal evolution created a persistent structural contrast that influenced crustal thickness, volcanic activity, and the ability of each hemisphere to preserve mascons and magnetic anomalies.</p> <p><strong>We show that the far side crust became mechanically competent before the formation of the SPA basin</strong>, explaining its lack of a preserved mascon. The same hemispheric rigidity asymmetry likely enabled a lunar reorientation event, aligning with the observed fossil bulge misalignment. This framework synthesizes gravity, magnetism, topography, and impact timing into a coherent geophysical narrative. It also makes testable predictions for future missions and crustal evolution modeling.</p> <p> </p> |
| format | Recurso digital |
| id | zenodo_https___doi_org_10_5281_zenodo_17979143 |
| institution | Zenodo |
| language | |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publisher | Zenodo |
| record_format | zenodo |
| spellingShingle | Thermal Fossilization of the Lunar Crust During Early Tidal Locking Smith, Jason Borabon, Charles Lunar crustal dichotomy Tidal locking Thermal fossilization South Pole–Aitken basin Mascon preservation Lithospheric evolution Moon–Earth system Lunar magma ocean Fossil bulge Crustal asymmetry Lunar geophysics Early lunar history Planetary thermal evolution GRAIL gravity data Lunar lithosphere Paleomagnetism Moon reorientation Planetary interiors Lunar impact chronology Hemispheric thermal gradient <p>This study presents a unified structural model for the Moon's hemispheric crustal dichotomy, mascon preservation patterns, and the absence of a mascon in the South Pole–Aitken basin. We propose that <strong>tidal locking during the solidification of the lunar magma ocean induced a long-lived thermal asymmetry</strong> between the Earth-facing and far sides of the Moon.</p> <p><strong>The near side remained hotter for longer</strong>, due to Earthshine, tidal dissipation, and radiative trapping, while <strong>the far side cooled earlier</strong>, forming a thicker, stiffer crust. This early divergence in thermal evolution created a persistent structural contrast that influenced crustal thickness, volcanic activity, and the ability of each hemisphere to preserve mascons and magnetic anomalies.</p> <p><strong>We show that the far side crust became mechanically competent before the formation of the SPA basin</strong>, explaining its lack of a preserved mascon. The same hemispheric rigidity asymmetry likely enabled a lunar reorientation event, aligning with the observed fossil bulge misalignment. This framework synthesizes gravity, magnetism, topography, and impact timing into a coherent geophysical narrative. It also makes testable predictions for future missions and crustal evolution modeling.</p> <p> </p> |
| title | Thermal Fossilization of the Lunar Crust During Early Tidal Locking |
| topic | Lunar crustal dichotomy Tidal locking Thermal fossilization South Pole–Aitken basin Mascon preservation Lithospheric evolution Moon–Earth system Lunar magma ocean Fossil bulge Crustal asymmetry Lunar geophysics Early lunar history Planetary thermal evolution GRAIL gravity data Lunar lithosphere Paleomagnetism Moon reorientation Planetary interiors Lunar impact chronology Hemispheric thermal gradient |
| url | https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17979143 |