A new equation of state applied to planetary impacts : II. Lunar-forming impact simulations with a primordial magma ocean
(2020) In Astronomy and Astrophysics 643.- Abstract
Observed FeO/MgO ratios in the Moon and Earth are inconsistent with simulations done with a single homogeneous silicate layer. In this paper we use a newly developed equation of state to perform smoothed particle hydrodynamics simulations on the lunar-forming impact, testing the effect of a primordial magma ocean on Earth. This is investigated using the impact parameters of both the canonical case, in which a Mars-sized impactor hits a non-rotating Earth at an oblate angle, and the fast-rotating case, in which a half-sized Mars impactor hits a fast-spinning Earth head-on. We find that the inclusion of a magma ocean results in a less massive Moon and leads to slightly more mixing. Additionally, we test how an icy Theia would affect the... (More)
Observed FeO/MgO ratios in the Moon and Earth are inconsistent with simulations done with a single homogeneous silicate layer. In this paper we use a newly developed equation of state to perform smoothed particle hydrodynamics simulations on the lunar-forming impact, testing the effect of a primordial magma ocean on Earth. This is investigated using the impact parameters of both the canonical case, in which a Mars-sized impactor hits a non-rotating Earth at an oblate angle, and the fast-rotating case, in which a half-sized Mars impactor hits a fast-spinning Earth head-on. We find that the inclusion of a magma ocean results in a less massive Moon and leads to slightly more mixing. Additionally, we test how an icy Theia would affect the results and find that this reduces the probability of a successful Moon formation. Simulations of the fast-spinning case are found to be unable to form a massive-enough Moon.
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- author
- Wissing, Robert and Hobbs, David LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2020-11-01
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Earth, Equation of state, Moon, Planets and satellites: dynamical evolution and stability, Planets and satellites: formation, Planets and satellites: interiors
- in
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
- volume
- 643
- article number
- A40
- publisher
- EDP Sciences
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85095566589
- ISSN
- 0004-6361
- DOI
- 10.1051/0004-6361/201936227
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 87124435-37e5-4771-97d9-3519441acd19
- date added to LUP
- 2021-01-14 17:06:53
- date last changed
- 2024-04-03 21:57:23
@article{87124435-37e5-4771-97d9-3519441acd19, abstract = {{<p>Observed FeO/MgO ratios in the Moon and Earth are inconsistent with simulations done with a single homogeneous silicate layer. In this paper we use a newly developed equation of state to perform smoothed particle hydrodynamics simulations on the lunar-forming impact, testing the effect of a primordial magma ocean on Earth. This is investigated using the impact parameters of both the canonical case, in which a Mars-sized impactor hits a non-rotating Earth at an oblate angle, and the fast-rotating case, in which a half-sized Mars impactor hits a fast-spinning Earth head-on. We find that the inclusion of a magma ocean results in a less massive Moon and leads to slightly more mixing. Additionally, we test how an icy Theia would affect the results and find that this reduces the probability of a successful Moon formation. Simulations of the fast-spinning case are found to be unable to form a massive-enough Moon. </p>}}, author = {{Wissing, Robert and Hobbs, David}}, issn = {{0004-6361}}, keywords = {{Earth; Equation of state; Moon; Planets and satellites: dynamical evolution and stability; Planets and satellites: formation; Planets and satellites: interiors}}, language = {{eng}}, month = {{11}}, publisher = {{EDP Sciences}}, series = {{Astronomy and Astrophysics}}, title = {{A new equation of state applied to planetary impacts : II. Lunar-forming impact simulations with a primordial magma ocean}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201936227}}, doi = {{10.1051/0004-6361/201936227}}, volume = {{643}}, year = {{2020}}, }