The lunar mean moment of inertia and the size of the Moon's core

✍ Scribed by C. Z. Zhang; M. Shen

• Publisher: Springer Netherlands
• Year: 1988
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 326 KB
• Volume: 42
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1573-0794
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00054545

✦ Synopsis

In this paper the relation between the uncertainty of the Moon's mean moment of inertia S(Z/Ma2) and that of the core density 6p, is discussed with a two-layer model of the Moon -a mantle obeying Roche's law of the density distribution and a homogeneous core (Fe-core or Fe-FeS-core). When the uncertainty of I/Ma2 is 0.0023 (that is the accuracy in present observation), a core with radius of 450 km will be appropriate to the limitation of 6p, about 1 g cme3. Considering the accuracy obtained in space explorations, and the compressibility and the quasi-homogeneity of the Moon, we suggest that the parameters C,,, b, y, a, and GM of the Moon should define as primary constants, but C,, and C/Ma* as derived constants. Therefore, the ratio of mass of Moon to that of Earth in the IAU (1976) system of astronomical constants will become a deducible constant.