Full metadata
Title
Crustal Deformation and Silicic Magma Genesis in the Lunar Procellarum KREEP Terrane
Description
Both volcanic and tectonic landforms are surface expressions of the inner workings of a planet. On Earth, volcanism and crustal deformation are primarily surface expressions of plate tectonics. In contrast, the lunar crust has been deformed by solely endogenic processes following large impact events.The Procellarum KREEP (potassium (K), rare earth elements (REE), and phosphorus (P)) Terrane (PKT) is a thermally and chemically distinct geologic province on the Moon. Despite the wealth of remote sensing data, the origin and evolution of the PKT is poorly understood. This study focuses on floor-fractured craters and silicic magma genesis within the PKT.
First, I present a detailed study of floor-fractured craters, including morphometric measurements using topographic datasets from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC), variations in temporal heat flow, lithospheric rheology and the locations of floor-fractured craters relative to impact basins. The overarching conclusion is viscous relaxation and magmatic intrusion are not necessarily mutually exclusive, as has been argued in earlier studies. This work also provides new evidence for the existence of the putative Procellarum basin.
Next, with rhyolite-MELTS modeling, I demonstrate that fractional crystallization of KREEP basalt magmas is a plausible mechanism for generating silicic melts. The results suggest that following crystallization, the composition of the remaining ~30 wt.% liquids are consistent with returned lunar silicic fragments.
Finally, using crater counting methods I tested the stratigraphic relationship between the floor-fractured crater, Hansteen, and the silicic volcanic landform, Mons Hansteen. Absolute model ages (AMAs) suggest that the basalts on the floor of Hansteen crater formed contemporaneously with Mons Hansteen, implying that bimodal volcanism might have played a role in silicic magma genesis on the Moon.
Date Created
2023
Contributors
- Ravi, Srinidhi (Author)
- Robinson, Mark S (Thesis advisor)
- Till, Christy B (Committee member)
- Watters, Thomas R (Committee member)
- Whipple, Kelin X (Committee member)
- O'Rourke, Joseph G (Committee member)
- Arizona State University (Publisher)
Topical Subject
Resource Type
Extent
126 pages
Language
eng
Copyright Statement
In Copyright
Primary Member of
Peer-reviewed
No
Open Access
No
Handle
https://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.2.N.189401
Level of coding
minimal
Cataloging Standards
Note
Partial requirement for: Ph.D., Arizona State University, 2023
Field of study: Geological Sciences
System Created
- 2023-08-28 05:21:00
System Modified
- 2023-08-28 05:21:05
- 1 year 2 months ago
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