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Depth and differentiation of the orientale melt lake
| Content Provider | NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) |
|---|---|
| Author | Wilson, L. Vaughan, W. M. Hess, P. C. Head, J. W. Neumann, G. A. Zuber, M. T. Smith, D. E. |
| Copyright Year | 2012 |
| Description | Impact melt emplacement and evolution in lunar multi-ring basins is poorly understood since impact melt deposits in basins are generally buried by mare basalt fill and obscured by subsequent impact cratering. The relatively young Orientale basin, which is only partially flooded with mare basalt, opens a rare window into basin-scale impact melts. We describe the geology of impact melt-related facies in Orientale and suggest that the central depression of Orientale may represent a solidified impact melt lake that vertically subsided shortly after basin formation due to solidification and cooling. We use Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) data to measure the depth (approx. 1.75 km) and diameter (approx 350 km) of this central depression. If all the observed subsidence of the central depression is due to solidification and cooling, the melt lake should be approx 12.5-16 km deep, far more voluminous (approx 106 km3) than the largest known differentiated igneous intrusions on Earth. We investigate the possibility that the Orientale melt lake has differentiated and model 1) the bulk composition of the melt lake, 2) the operation of melt mixing in the melt lake, and 3) the chemical evolution of the resulting liquids on the An-Fo-Qz ternary in order to predict the lithologies that might be present in the solidified Orientale melt lake. Finally, we consider the possible significance of these lithologies. |
| File Size | 593429 |
| Page Count | 2 |
| File Format | |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://archive.org/details/NASA_NTRS_Archive_20120009916 |
| Archival Resource Key | ark:/13960/t1rg0qw7f |
| Language | English |
| Publisher Date | 2012-03-19 |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Subject Keyword | Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration Impact Melts Cratering Lunar Evolution Lunar Maria Ejecta Structural Basins Lunar Geology Meteorite Craters Lunar Craters Laser Altimeters Lunar Orbiter Ntrs Nasa Technical Reports ServerĀ (ntrs) Nasa Technical Reports Server Aerodynamics Aircraft Aerospace Engineering Aerospace Aeronautic Space Science |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |