Ancient Lunar Crust: Origin, Composition, and Implications

Research Article| February 01, 2009 Ancient Lunar Crust: Origin, Composition, and Implications G. Jeffrey Taylor G. Jeffrey Taylor *Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA E-mail: gjtaylor@higp.hawaii.edu Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information G. Jeffrey Taylor *Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA E-mail: gjtaylor@higp.hawaii.edu Publisher: Mineralogical Society of America First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1811-5217 Print ISSN: 1811-5209 © 2009 by the Mineralogical Society of America Elements (2009) 5 (1): 17–22. https://doi.org/10.2113/gselements.5.1.17 Article history First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation G. Jeffrey Taylor; Ancient Lunar Crust: Origin, Composition, and Implications. Elements 2009;; 5 (1): 17–22. doi: https://doi.org/10.2113/gselements.5.1.17 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyElements Search Advanced Search Abstract Samples from the Apollo (USA) and Luna (Soviet) missions and from lunar meteorites, coupled with remote sensing data, reveal that the ancient highlands of the Moon are compositionally diverse. The average surface material contains 80 vol% plagioclase. A major suite of rocks, the ferroan anorthosites, averages 96 vol% plagioclase. The feldspathic composition reflects plagioclase flotation in a magma ocean. Late-stage REE-rich magma pooled in the Procellarum region of the lunar nearside. The concentration of heat-producing elements in this region triggered mantle melting and overturn of the cumulate pile, forming two more suites of chemically distinct highland rocks, the magnesian and alkali suites. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.