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Primaeval melting of the Moon

Nature volume 270, pages 676–681 (1977)Cite this article

Abstract

There is evidence that the Moon melted completely 4,400 Myr ago, and between 4,000 Myr and 3,200 Myr ago had an internal magnetic field. But gravity could not have provided the heat of melting, and it must have come from short lived radio elements. Theory suggests the transuranics with atomic numbers between 114 and 126 may be relatively stable, and it is shown that these ‘superheavy elements’ fit the requirements of the early heat source in the moon.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Lunar and Planetary Science School of Physics, The University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

    S. Keith Runcorn

  2. Environmental Science and Engineering Department, University of California, Los Angeles, California, 90024

    Leona Marshall Libby

  3. Department of Chemistry, and Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, and Environmental Science and Engineering Department, University of California, Los Angeles, California, 90024

    Willard F. Libby

Authors
  1. S. Keith Runcorn
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  2. Leona Marshall Libby
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  3. Willard F. Libby
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Runcorn, S., Libby, L. & Libby, W. Primaeval melting of the Moon. Nature 270, 676–681 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1038/270676a0

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