Authors
Yoshio Kono, Hideharu Kuwahara, Steeve Gréaux, Mark L Rivers, Yanbin Wang, Yuji Higo, Keisuke Mitsu, Nozomi Kondo
Publication date
2023/9/15
Journal
Earth and Planetary Science Letters
Volume
618
Pages
118287
Publisher
Elsevier
Description
The origin of the seismic low velocity zone (LVZ) observed at the base of the lunar mantle is important for understanding the nature of the lunar mantle. Liquid Fe–S is considered as a possible candidate of the cause of the LVZ. However, effect of liquid Fe–S on elastic wave velocity of mantle rock has been considered to be minor, according to theoretical estimation based on the high dihedral angle of liquid Fe–S in olivine aggregate observed in previous microstructural analysis of polished sample cross sections. Here we carry out direct measurements of elastic wave velocities of liquid Fe–S-bearing olivine aggregate and report strong reduction of the elastic wave velocities in the presence of liquid Fe–S. The effects of liquid Fe–S in olivine aggregates are much more pronounced than the theoretical estimation. Three-dimensional X-ray microtomography analysis reveals that the geometry of liquid Fe–S strongly …
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