South Pole–Aitken basin ejecta reveal the Moon’s upper mantle

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Abstract

Research Article| October 03, 2017 South Pole–Aitken basin ejecta reveal the Moon's upper mantle H.J. Melosh; H.J. Melosh 1Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences Department, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar J. Kendall; J. Kendall 1Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences Department, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar B. Horgan; B. Horgan 1Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences Department, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar B.C. Johnson; B.C. Johnson 2Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar T. Bowling; T. Bowling 3Department of Geophysical Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar P.G. Lucey; P.G. Lucey 4Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawai'i 96822, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar G.J. Taylor G.J. Taylor 4Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawai'i 96822, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information H.J. Melosh 1Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences Department, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA J. Kendall 1Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences Department, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA B. Horgan 1Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences Department, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA B.C. Johnson 2Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, USA T. Bowling 3Department of Geophysical Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA P.G. Lucey 4Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawai'i 96822, USA G.J. Taylor 4Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawai'i 96822, USA Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 05 Jun 2017 Revision Received: 24 Aug 2017 Accepted: 25 Aug 2017 First Online: 03 Oct 2017 Online Issn: 1943-2682 Print Issn: 0091-7613 © 2017 Geological Society of America Geology (2017) 45 (12): 1063–1066. https://doi.org/10.1130/G39375.1 Article history Received: 05 Jun 2017 Revision Received: 24 Aug 2017 Accepted: 25 Aug 2017 First Online: 03 Oct 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation H.J. Melosh, J. Kendall, B. Horgan, B.C. Johnson, T. Bowling, P.G. Lucey, G.J. Taylor; South Pole–Aitken basin ejecta reveal the Moon's upper mantle. Geology 2017;; 45 (12): 1063–1066. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G39375.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract The sparse occurrence of the mineral olivine in reflection spectra of the Moon's surface, as well as in deep-seated lunar rocks, has long puzzled lunar geologists because it is expected that the largest impact basins, particularly the 2500-km-diameter South Pole–Aitken (SPA) basin, should have exposed the lunar mantle. Using three-dimensional numerical impact simulations, we show that, even in our most conservative cases, the SPA basin must have sampled the Moon's upper mantle to depths of 100 km and inevitably spewed this material onto the farside highlands. The spectra of this region are, however, dominated by the signature of low-calcium pyroxene (LCP), not olivine. We thus argue that, in contrast to the upper mantle of Earth, the Moon's upper mantle is dominated by LCP. This signature also characterizes the mantle of the large main belt asteroid 4 Vesta and suggests that the current paradigm of olivine-rich planetary upper mantles may require revision. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.

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