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Crustal thickness of the Moon: Implications for farside basin structures
Author(s) -
Ishihara Yoshiaki,
Goossens Sander,
Matsumoto Koji,
Noda Hirotomo,
Araki Hiroshi,
Namiki Noriyuki,
Hanada Hideo,
Iwata Takahiro,
Tazawa Seiichi,
Sasaki Sho
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2009gl039708
Subject(s) - geology , crust , isostasy , structural basin , mantle (geology) , geophysics , seismology , tectonics , geomorphology , lithosphere
Based on the latest SELENE lunar gravity and topography model obtained by Kaguya mission, we compute the lunar crustal thickness map to investigate differences between farside basin structures. The thickest crust is located in the southern rim of the Dirichlet‐Jackson basin and the thinnest crust at the Moscoviense basin. The thickest crust corresponds to the highest topography and is consistent with Airy isostasy. The thinnest crust is due to an abnormally large mantle plug. The crustal thicknesses at Apollo 12/14 sites of our crustal thickness model are 45.1 and 49.9 km. The crustal thickness map indicates that the differences between recently proposed type I and type II basins are probably controlled by the ratio between pre‐impact crustal thickness and impact scale.