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Chemical and Isotopic Consequences of Lunar Formation via Giant Impact

Citation

Pahlevan, Kaveh (2010) Chemical and Isotopic Consequences of Lunar Formation via Giant Impact. Dissertation (Ph.D.), California Institute of Technology. doi:10.7907/YPP1-AQ73. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:06082010-072824369

Abstract

There is near consensus in the planetary science community that the origin of the Moon can be traced to a massive interplanetary collision between a roughly Mars-sized object and the growing Earth towards the end of planetary accretion. Many in the geochemical community, however, have rightly expressed skepticism towards this hypothesis. The compositional signatures of the giant impact have never been clearly articulated, and no one has yet used the ideas of lunar origin to say something about the lunar composition that was not previously known, that is, to make a prediction. The work presented here seeks to develop the theory of lunar origin with two goals in mind: of reconciling the predictions of the dynamical scenario with the observed signatures in the lunar composition, and of making new predictions for the lunar chemical and isotopic composition that can test and further constrain the theory through comparison with observations.

Item Type:Thesis (Dissertation (Ph.D.))
Subject Keywords:Moon; origin; impact; isotope
Degree Grantor:California Institute of Technology
Division:Geological and Planetary Sciences
Major Option:Planetary Sciences
Thesis Availability:Public (worldwide access)
Research Advisor(s):
  • Stevenson, David John
Thesis Committee:
  • Brown, Michael E. (chair)
  • Stevenson, David John
  • Ingersoll, Andrew P.
  • Eiler, John M.
  • Asimow, Paul David
Defense Date:26 May 2010
Record Number:CaltechTHESIS:06082010-072824369
Persistent URL:https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:06082010-072824369
DOI:10.7907/YPP1-AQ73
Default Usage Policy:No commercial reproduction, distribution, display or performance rights in this work are provided.
ID Code:5937
Collection:CaltechTHESIS
Deposited By: Kaveh Pahlevan
Deposited On:16 Jun 2010 18:17
Last Modified:25 Aug 2022 00:01

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