Abstract
RECENT measurements and analysis of magnetic field fluctuations on the surface of the Moon have led Sonett et al.1 to conclude that the Moon is stratified into an upper mantle, a lower mantle and a core. Using an eight-layer model, their computer analysis of magnetic field fluctuation data led to the conclusion that there is a highly conducting shell about 100 km thick, located about 220 km below the lunar surface. In this article their experimental data are reanalysed in terms of a simple two layer model. I conclude that the field fluctuation spectrum observed accurately follows from a Moon with an inner core which has a uniform conductivity of 6 × 10−4 mho m−1 and an insulating mantle about 160 km thick. These results coincide more closely with the preliminary conclusions of Sonett et al.2 than their more refined calculations which indicate a very non-uniform and non-monotonic conductivity profile.
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Sonett, C. P., Colburn, D. S., Dyal, P., Parkin, C. W., Smith, B. F., Schubert, G., and Schwartz, K., Nature, 230, 359 (1971).
Sonett, G. P., Dyal, P., Parkin, C. W., Colburn, D. S., Mikalov, J. D., and Smith, B. F., Science, 172, 256 (1971).
Dyal, P., Parkin, C. W., Sonett, C. P., and Colburn, D. S., NASA Report T.M.X-62,012 (1970).
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Sonett, C. P., Schubert, G., Smith, B. F., Schwartz, K., and Colburn, D. S., Report NASA T.M., X-62-019 (April, 1971).
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KUCKES, A. Lunar Electrical Conductivity Profile. Nature 232, 249–251 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1038/232249a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/232249a0
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