thumbnail

The moon: Sources of the crustal magnetic anomalies

Science
By: , and 

Links

  • The Publications Warehouse does not have links to digital versions of this publication at this time
  • Download citation as: RIS | Dublin Core

Abstract

Previously unmapped Apollo 16 subsatellite magnetometer data collected at low altitudes over the lunar near side are presented. Medium-amplitude magnetic anomalies exist over the Fra Mauro and Cayley Formations (primary and secondary basin ejecta emplaced 3.8 to 4.0 billion years ago) but are nearly absent over the maria and over the craters Copernicus, Kepler, and Reiner and their encircling ejecta mantles. The largest observed anomaly (radial component ??? 21 gammas at an altitude of 20 kilometers) is exactly correlated with a conspicuous light-colored deposit on western Oceanus Procellarum known as Reiner ??. Assuming that the Reiner ?? deposit is the source body and estimating its maximum average thickness as 10 meters, a minimum mean magnetization level of 5.2 ?? 2.4 ?? 10-2 electromagnetic units per gram, or ??? 500 times the stable magnetization component of the most magnetic returned sample, is calculated. An age for its emplacement of ??? 2.9 billion years is inferred from photogeologic evidence, implying that magnetization of lunar crustal materials must have continued for a period exceeding 1 billion years. Copyright ?? 1979 AAAS.
Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title The moon: Sources of the crustal magnetic anomalies
Series title Science
Volume 204
Issue 4388
Year Published 1979
Language English
Larger Work Type Article
Larger Work Subtype Journal Article
Larger Work Title Science
First page 53
Last page 57
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details