Contribution of the mantle to the lunar asymmetry

Evidence of three kinds indicates a lunar compositional asymmetry: (1) mare basalts are much more abundant on the near side; (2) the incompatible rich KREEP component is mainly observed in near-side soils; and (3) materials on the far side are less dense than those of the near side, as indicated by the 2-km offset between the center of mass and center of figure. Recent models to explain the 2-km offset are based on near-side-far-side differences in the thickness of crustal units. The most widely discussed model calls for a thickness of anorthosite ～ 24 km greater on the far side than on the near side, but no satisfactory method of generating such a large difference has been proposed. We suggest that much of the offset reflects longitudinal differences in mantle composition primarily resulting from earlier (or more rapid) crystallization of the magma ocean on what is now the far-side hemisphere. As a result, the far-side mantle would be more magnesian and thus less dense than the near-side mantle. Differences in the amount of anorthosite or the amount of crustal porosity probably make relatively small contributions to the offset. We have evaluated four scenarios: (a) If the anorthositic crust initially formed a floating continent over what is now the near side, this would have provided thermal insulation that would have reduced the near-side cooling rate. (b) Crystallization of the magma ocean while the Moon was near the Earth would have resulted in heating by earthshine, thus reducing the near-side cooling rate. (c) An asymmetric bombardment could have preferentially heated the near side. (d) A suggestion by D. Stevenson, collection of metal from the magma ocean in one hemisphere would have pushed the unmelted “core” into an asymmetric position, and resulted in earlier magma ocean crystallization in the deeper hemisphere. Our assessment is that the asymmetric “core” hypothesis is the most plausible, that the floating continent mechanism is possible, and that the Earthshine and symmetric bombardment mechanisms are not viable. An attractive feature of the asymmetric- mantle model is that it also accounts for the asymmetries in the distribution of KREEP and mare basalts. More rapid crystallization of the far side would leave urKREEP, the last dregs of the magma ocean, concentrated under the near-side crust, thus leading to the observed tendency for KREEP to be found on the near side surface. Further, the concentration of urKREEP-associated radiactive elements on the near side would result in a much lower rate of conductive cooling of the near-side mantle and thus a much longer period of basalt extrusion on the near side. The formation of basalts would also be enhanced by the presence of more fusible materials in the near-side mantle.