The Moon Re-examined

Abstract

Recent geochemical and geophysical data from the Moon enable a revision of earlier interpretations regarding lunar origin, structure and bulk composition. Earth and Moon show many similarities among their isotopic compositions, but they have evolved in totally dissimilar ways, probably related to the deficiency of water in the Moon as well as the vast differences in size and internal pressure. Although some global geochemical trends such as volatile depletion based on K/U ratios have been established, current lunar samples come from differentiated regions, making the establishment of a bulk composition more reliant on bulk geophysical properties or isotopic similarities although it remains unclear how the latter relate to whole Moon composition. The lack of fractionation effects among the refractory and super-refractory elements indicates that the proto-lunar material seems unlikely to have been vaporized while the depletion of volatile elements may place lower limits on proto-lunar temperatures. The apparent lack of geochemical evidence of an impacting body enables other possible impactors, such as comets, to be considered.