ISSN:
1573-0794
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Geosciences
,
Physics
Notes:
Abstract The suggestion that the Moon's magnetic field is due to adiabatic magnetohydrodynamic convection of a molten core has been made by a number of recent authors. Considerations based on petrology, mass and rotational inertia limit the size of this hypothetical core to a few 100 km at the most. A proposal has been made that this core is either molten iron or iron sulfide. Fortunately, we know the properties of both molten iron and iron-sulfide at lunar core pressures. We can find no way of maintaining circulation in a hypothetical lunar core, as circulation is contingent upon a temperature gradient being greater than the adiabatic gradient, or an internal heat source.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00577932
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