THERMO-CHEMICAL EVOLUTION OF THE MOON

Abstract

Studies about the Moon have always relied on data obtained from the Apollo missions. It may be rock samples or seismological data collected as a part of the later Apollo missions, which required Moon walkers to leave behind seismograms to collect data about Deep-Moonquakes. People have hypothesized modes of formation of the Earth-Moon System as a whole, for the peculiarities involving the Blue planet and it’s unusually large Satellite are baffling to say the least. The Moon is the largest satellite as compared to the planet it orbits, it is in synchronous rotation with the Earth, causing its relative orientation with the Earth to get locked. As the evidence suggesting a particular method of formation of the Moon is striking and the data to study it is less, we require novel ways to use the data at our disposal and make proper interpretations from it. Earlier studies have tried to establish Large-Scale melting of the Moon and its differentiation history, by using Siderophile partitioning data as the anchor. We utilize Tungsten Partitioning data, and further constrain the differentiation history of the Moon. Furthermore, we describe a novel way for sample acquisition for Planetary exploration missions, wherein we use Advanced Laser scanning techniques and modern day 3D Printing techniques to duplicate geological samples superficially and in a non-destructive manner, i.e. textural duplication of samples. We discuss possible use case scenarios for our method and stress its feasibility by scanning and printing an Ammonite cast and a Quartz mineral sample at 1:1 scale at 200 micron resolution.