Late formation and prolonged differentiation of the Moon inferred from W isotopes in lunar metals

M. Touboul (), T. Kleine, B. Bourdon, H. Palme and R. Wieler
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M. Touboul: Institute for Isotope Geochemistry and Mineral Resources, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zurich, Clausiusstrasse 25, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
T. Kleine: Institute for Isotope Geochemistry and Mineral Resources, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zurich, Clausiusstrasse 25, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
B. Bourdon: Institute for Isotope Geochemistry and Mineral Resources, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zurich, Clausiusstrasse 25, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
H. Palme: Institut für Mineralogie und Geochemie, Universität zu Köln, Zülpicherstrasse 49b, 50674 Köln, Germany
R. Wieler: Institute for Isotope Geochemistry and Mineral Resources, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zurich, Clausiusstrasse 25, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland

Nature, 2007, vol. 450, issue 7173, 1206-1209

Abstract: How old the Moon A new tungsten isotope study presents revised ages for the formation of the Moon. The Moon is thought to have formed from debris ejected by a giant impact with the early Earth. The high energies involved would have caused melting, and the formation of a lunar magma ocean. Previous work on tungsten isotopes had suggested that the Moon solidified within the first 60 million years of the Solar System. The new data from lunar metals based on the hafnium/tungsten clock are consistent with samarium/neodymium chronometry, and point to a later date for solidification, when the Solar System was 50 to 150 million years old.

Date: 2007
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DOI: 10.1038/nature06428

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