Effect of crustal porosity on lunar magma ocean solidification

• 作 者: Mingming Zhang Yingkui Xu Xiongyao Li
• 机 构: Center for Lunar and Planetary Sciences, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences,Guiy
• 出 处: 地球化学学报（英文版）
• 发表日期: 2021年2期
• 关键词: Porosity Thermal evolution Ferroan anorthosites

The lunar ferroan anorthosites,formed by plagioclase flotation from the crystallization of the lunar magma ocean,have an age span of over ～ 200 Ma.However,previous thermal models predicted a much shorter time range.We propose that a much smaller thermal conductivity of anorthositic crust due to its high porosity may have delayed the solidification of the lunar magma ocean.Our thermal simulation results,using the thermal conductivity of porous lunar crust,show that crystallization of a 1000 km deep magma ocean could be prolonged to tens of millions of years,and up to 180 Ma under some extreme conditions.The porous crust alone can't explain the large crustal age span,however.Other circumstances must be taken into consideration,such as a thick lunar soil.