ON THE VELOCITY PROFILE OF THE MOON,
Abstract
The question of the distribution of the velocities of P and S waves in the depths of the moon is examined. Use is made of the results of laboratory measurements of the influence of pressure, temperature and composition on the velocity of elastic waves in rocks, and also data on the distribution of P and S waves in the upper layers of the earth. It appeared that the moon should have an anomalously broad layer of reduced velocities. The reason for this is that the critical temperature gradient for the formation of a slow-velocity layer is proportional to the acceleration of gravity g, and on the moon this value is one-sixth as large as on earth. The question of the possibility of a disturbance of the Wiechert conditions below the lunar surface was investigated. It appeared that the probability of a disturbance of these conditions is small, although it also cannot be ruled out. Time-distance and amplitude curves were constructed for the proposed distributions of P and S waves below the lunar surface. An analogous investigation was conducted for a model of the moon with a liquid core. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1970
- Accession Number
- AD0713725
Entities
People
- T. B. Yanovskaya
- V. N. Zharkov
- V. Sh. Berikashvili
Organizations
- University of Michigan