New model explains formation of the Earth's Moon
Posted: Sat, Oct 20, 2012, 9:47 AM ET (1347 GMT)
Scientists this week reported that they have developed new models of the formation of the Earth's Moon that reconciles one of the leading explanations with the compositions of the two worlds. The model, published in the latest issue of the journal Science, is based on the giant impact explanation for the creation of the Moon, where a Mars-sized protoplanet struck the early Earth, throwing off debris that formed the Moon. While that model had become widely accepted, it could not explain why the two worlds had similar ratios of oxygen isotopes. The new model uses much larger impactors, up to five times the mass of Mars. This creates oxygen radios similar for both world, although they produce an Earth rotating up to 2.5 times as fast as expected from the existing angular momentum of the Earth-Moon system. However, a companion paper explains how that angular momentum could have been reduced soon after the Moon's formation through a resonant interaction between the Moon and Sun.
Scientists this week reported that they have developed new models of the formation of the Earth's Moon that reconciles one of the leading explanations with the compositions of the two worlds. The model, published in the latest issue of the journal Science, is based on the giant impact explanation for the creation of the Moon, where a Mars-sized protoplanet struck the early Earth, throwing off debris that formed the Moon. While that model had become widely accepted, it could not explain why the two worlds had similar ratios of oxygen isotopes. The new model uses much larger impactors, up to five times the mass of Mars. This creates oxygen radios similar for both world, although they produce an Earth rotating up to 2.5 times as fast as expected from the existing angular momentum of the Earth-Moon system. However, a companion paper explains how that angular momentum could have been reduced soon after the Moon's formation through a resonant interaction between the Moon and Sun.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Space Force adds Rocket Lab and Stoke Space to NSSL contract
Posted: Sun, Mar 30 9:19 AM ET (1319 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Wednesday, April 2
Europe’s Launcher Revival Faces Challenging Start
Aviation Week — 5:18 am ET (0918 GMT) Space Force picks Northrop for ‘Elixir’ satellite refueling demo
Defense News — 5:17 am ET (0917 GMT) Gwynne Shotwell Rides SpaceX To Billion-Dollar Fortune
Forbes.com — 5:15 am ET (0915 GMT) SpaceX Puts Humans in Orbit Over Earth’s Poles for the First Time
New York Times — 5:13 am ET (0913 GMT) FAA closes investigation of January SpaceX Starship explosion
KTBC-TV Austin, TX — 5:11 am ET (0911 GMT) |
