Authors
Marisa C Wood, Steeve Gréaux, Yoshio Kono, Sho Kakizawa, Yuta Ishikawa, Sayako Inoué, Hideharu Kuwahara, Yuji Higo, Noriyoshi Tsujino, Tetsuo Irifune
Publication date
2024/9/1
Journal
Earth and Planetary Science Letters
Volume
641
Pages
118792
Publisher
Elsevier
Description
Recent experimental and theoretical studies on lunar magma ocean crystallisation have suggested the presence of significant proportions of garnet in the deep lunar interior. While phase relation studies indicate a deep lunar mantle consisting of olivine, pyroxene, and garnet, the compatibility of such an assemblage with seismic models of the lunar interior is yet untested. In this study we report compressional and shear wave velocities in an iron-rich assemblage consisting of olivine, orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene, and garnet up to ∼8 GPa and 1300 K, by means of ultrasonic interferometry measurements combined with synchrotron techniques using the multi-anvil press apparatus. Sound velocity and density models of lunar mantle rocks along a selenotherm based on our experimental results find good agreement with the seismic and density profiles at lunar interior depths of 740–1260 km. Further models are …