Evidence for an early wet Moon from experimental crystallization of the lunar magma ocean

Lin, Yanhao; Tronche, E. J.; Steenstra, E. S.; Westrenen, W. van

doi:10.1038/ngeo2845

Cited by 106 publications

(148 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…Based on an assumed normative mineralogy, they predicted a 50‐km‐thick IBC layer with only 2‐ to 4‐vol% ilmenite. Lin et al () carried out experiments with various water contents and predicted a 24‐km‐thick IBC layer with 14‐vol% ilmenite. However, with a lunar primitive upper mantle bulk composition, Rapp and Draper () suggested more limited ilmenite production; Charlier et al () found relatively late ilmenite saturation after 97% LMO crystallization.…”

Section: Model Formulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Synthesized IBC thickness and fraction (A) from five LMO crystallization models (Figure S1), the thickening process during the IBC crystallization (B), the derived relation between the IBC volume fraction and IBC thickness (C), and two types of initial temperatures (D). The five LMO crystallization models include Snyder et al (), Hess and Parmentier (), Elkins‐Tanton et al (), Elardo et al (), Lin et al (), and Rapp & Draper (; see Figure S1). Those of Rapp and Draper () and Lin et al () represent the lower and upper bounds of the ilmenite budget, respectively.…”

Section: Model Formulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Solidification of LMO starts with olivine, followed by low‐Ca pyroxene, anorthitic plagioclase, and clinopyroxene. Ilmenite becomes a liquidus phase with anorthite and clinopyroxene near the end of LMO solidification (e.g.,Charlier et al, ; Elardo et al, ; Elkins‐Tanton et al, ; Lin et al, ; Rapp & Draper, ; Snyder et al, ). The late cumulate that consists mainly of ilmenite, clinopyroxene, and possible pigeonite are enriched in FeO, TiO 2 , and KREEP components and hence denser than the underlying earlier cumulates (e.g.,Charlier et al, ; Hess & Parmentier, ; Lin et al, ; Rapp & Draper, ; Snyder et al, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ilmenite becomes a liquidus phase with anorthite and clinopyroxene near the end of LMO solidification (e.g.,Charlier et al, ; Elardo et al, ; Elkins‐Tanton et al, ; Lin et al, ; Rapp & Draper, ; Snyder et al, ). The late cumulate that consists mainly of ilmenite, clinopyroxene, and possible pigeonite are enriched in FeO, TiO 2 , and KREEP components and hence denser than the underlying earlier cumulates (e.g.,Charlier et al, ; Hess & Parmentier, ; Lin et al, ; Rapp & Draper, ; Snyder et al, ). These dense cumulates may have sunk as they crystallized, mixing with the underlying olivine + low‐Ca pyroxene + clinopyroxene cumulates to form a thicker ilmenite‐bearing cumulate (IBC) layer (e.g.,Dygert et al, ; Hess & Parmentier, ; Papike et al, ; Parmentier et al, ; Ringwood & Kesson, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Lunar Cumulate Mantle Overturn: A Model Constrained by Ilmenite Rheology

Zhang

Liang

et al. 2019

JGR Planets

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Lunar cumulate mantle overturn has been proposed to explain the abundances of TiO2 and heat‐producing elements (U, Th, and K) in the source region of lunar basalts. Ilmenite‐bearing cumulates (IBCs) that were formed near the end of lunar magma ocean solidification are the driving force for overturn. IBCs are enriched with dense TiO2 and FeO contents and have lower viscosity and solidus than those of the underlying lunar cumulate mantle. We investigate the effects of temperature‐ and ilmenite‐dependent mantle rheology on the dynamic process of lunar cumulate mantle overturn and conditions for long‐wavelength downwellings of an IBC layer in a 3‐D spherical geometry. Our results show that the ilmenite‐induced rheological weakening is necessary to decouple the IBC layer from the top stagnant lid and facilitate overturn. Models with IBC viscosity derived from the experimental scaling can only produce short‐wavelength downwellings (spherical harmonic degree >3) and show an overturn timescale more than 100 Ma. A viscosity of the IBC layer at least 10−4 lower than that of the ambient mantle can produce the long‐wavelength (spherical harmonic degree ≤3) downwellings in ~10 Ma and even a hemispheric downwelling. Such low IBC viscosity requires additional weakening mechanisms, such as remelting or/and water enrichment. During the overturn, the cold downwellings displace upward the materials from hot lower mantle and produce partial melting in upper mantle, which may serve as a viable mechanism for early lunar magmatisms. The settling of cold downwellings on the core‐mantle boundary stimulates a transient high heat flux, which may contribute to generating an early lunar dynamo event.

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Section: Model Formulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Model Formulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Lunar Cumulate Mantle Overturn: A Model Constrained by Ilmenite Rheology

Zhang

Liang

et al. 2019

JGR Planets

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“…Table 2 and Figure 5 show that spinel and olivine are concentrated in a latitude and longitude range in the FHT-o defined by Jolliff et al (2000), and a P cmi value range between +6.3 and −1.2 km as calculated with GRAIL crustal thickness model 1, and +13.9 and +7.5 km as calculated with GRAIL crustal thickness model 3. Spinel could alternatively have formed in the final stages of the LMO solidification: Lin et al (2017b) performed water-bearing LMO crystallization experiments and showed that spinel is among the last minerals to be crystallized during solidification of a water-bearing magma ocean. Gross et al (2011) proposed that spinel could have formed in the lunar crust by magma-wall rock interactions, and Vaughan et al (2013) suggested that the crystallization of a melt mixture between the anorthositic crust and mantle could form spinel.…”

Section: Previous Studies' Craters P CMI Calculation and Comparison Tmentioning

confidence: 99%

Compositional Variations in the Vicinity of the Lunar Crust‐Mantle Interface From Moon Mineralogy Mapper Data

et al. 2018

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Moon Mineralogy Mapper spectroscopic data were used to investigate the mineralogy of a selection of impact craters' central peaks or peak rings, in order to characterize the lunar crust‐mantle interface, and assess its lateral and vertical heterogeneity. The depth of origin of the craters' central peaks or peak rings was calculated using empirical equations, and compared to Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory crustal thickness models to select craters tapping within +10/−20 km of the crust‐mantle interface. Our results show that plagioclase is widely detected, including in craters allegedly sampling lower crustal to mantle material, except in central peaks where Low‐Calcium Pyroxene was detected. Olivine detections are scarce, and identified in material assumed to be derived from both above and below the crust‐mantle interface. Mineralogical detections in central peaks show that there is an evolution of the pyroxene composition with depth, that may correspond to the transition from the crust to the mantle. The correlation between High‐Calcium Pyroxene and some pyroxene‐dominated mixture spectra with the location of maria and cryptomaria hints at the existence of lateral heterogeneities as deep as the crust‐mantle interface.

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The effect of ilmenite viscosity on the dynamics and evolution of an overturned lunar cumulate mantle

Zhang

Dygert

Liang

et al. 2017

Geophysical Research Letters

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Lunar cumulate mantle overturn and the subsequent upwelling of overturned mantle cumulates provide a potential framework for understanding the first‐order thermochemical evolution of the Moon. Upwelling of ilmenite‐bearing cumulates (IBCs) after the overturn has a dominant influence on the dynamics and long‐term thermal evolution of the lunar mantle. An important parameter determining the stability and convective behavior of the IBC is its viscosity, which was recently constrained through rock deformation experiments. To examine the effect of IBC viscosity on the upwelling of overturned lunar cumulate mantle, here we conduct three‐dimensional mantle convection models with an evolving core superposed by an IBC‐rich layer, which resulted from mantle overturn after magma ocean solidification. Our modeling shows that a reduction of mantle viscosity by 1 order of magnitude, due to the presence of ilmenite, can dramatically change convective planform and long‐term lunar mantle evolution. Our model results suggest a relatively stable partially molten IBC layer that has surrounded the lunar core to the present day.

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Evidence for an early wet Moon from experimental crystallization of the lunar magma ocean

Cited by 106 publications

References 32 publications

Lunar Cumulate Mantle Overturn: A Model Constrained by Ilmenite Rheology

Lunar Cumulate Mantle Overturn: A Model Constrained by Ilmenite Rheology

Compositional Variations in the Vicinity of the Lunar Crust‐Mantle Interface From Moon Mineralogy Mapper Data

The effect of ilmenite viscosity on the dynamics and evolution of an overturned lunar cumulate mantle

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