| Our Moon formed from the debris of the most dramatic event in Earth s history: a giant collision between the young Earth and a Mars-sized impactor. The Moon retains information about its earliest history due to the absence of plate tectonics, but existing models for lunar origin and evolution lack consistency and accuracy. To constrain the impact s key role in the evolution of the Early Earth, we are currently developing a combined physical and chemical model for the origin and evolution of the Moon. Systematic high-pressure, high-temperature experiments on lunar compositions are used to quantify the distribution of elements between minerals and melts in the Moon s interior. Densities of these phases will be measured as a function of pressure and temperature. A Full Moon model will be synthesised by combining these experiments with the latest compositional data from lunar space missions and computer simulations of the dynamics of the early lunar interior. The methodologies developed will form the foundation for models of larger planetary bodies, specifically Mars, the target of future exploration by ESA and NASA. |
