Contending Theories for the Moon's Formation (IMAGE)

Washington University in St. Louis

Contending Theories for the Moon's Formation

Caption

Two recent models for the formation of the moon, one that allows exchange through a silicate atmosphere (top), and another that creates a more thoroughly mixed sphere of a supercritical fluid (bottom), lead to different predictions for potassium isotope ratios in lunar and terrestrial rocks (right).

Credit

Kun Wang

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