Latitude effects in lunar thermal evolution |
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| Authors: | R V J Butt J A Bastin |
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| Institution: | (1) Dept. of Physics, Queen Mary College, London, U.K. |
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| Abstract: | A simple analytical model is developed from which we have calculated the temperature throughout the lunar interior resulting
from internal heat sources and the imposition of surface temperature boundary conditions. The surface temperature is determined
almost entirely by the balance of solar heating and surface reradiation; as a consequence this temperature is latitude dependent,
decreasing towards the lunar poles. The internal solution shows that the latitude effect exists almost undiminished to great
depths within the Moon.
It is suggested that this dependence on latitude may have a significant effect on the Moon’s thermal evolution. Using the
liquefaction model the high concentration of lunar maria at low latitudes may be explained. |
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