| Abstract: | I discuss the relation between the internal structure of the Moon and the radial distribution of the moonquake foci. I believe that the important factor conditioning the radial distribution is the fact that the rigidity of the lunar material decreases with increasing depth. Using a two-layer model, solutions of the elasticity equations are found for the cases of a uniform surface load and of a uniform radial body force. The results show that when the inner sphere is less rigid than the outer shell, the maximum sheer stress is located near the boundary of the two components, thus explainning why the moonquakes are mostly deep quakes. The results also suggest that a liquid core exists in the Moon. |
