Abstract
It is shown that large (hundred-km diam) near-surface disks are capable of accurately representing the lunar mascons with very few parameters. While this does not ‘prove’ that the mascons are excess mass in disk form, it is highly suggestive. It is pointed out that virtually every proposed mascon theory is consistent with a disk shape for the excess mass. The tentative hypothesis is advanced that the mascons are, in fact, disk shaped mass excesses. The conditions for mascon formation and preservation are reviewed in the light of this hypothesis.
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References
Conel, J. E. and Holstrom, G. B.: 1968, Science 162, 1403.
Gottlieb, P. and Muller, P. M.: in Proc. of the Lunar Science Institute Symposium on the Geophysical Interpretation of the Moon, Houston, Texas, June 1970 (to be published).
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Muller, P. M. and Sjogren, W.L.: 1968, Science 161,680.
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© 1972 The International Astronomical Union
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Muller, P.M., Sjogren, W.L. (1972). Large Disks as Representations for the Lunar Mascons with Implications Regarding Theories of Formation. In: Runcorn, S.K., Urey, H.C. (eds) The Moon. International Astronomical Union/Union Astronomique Internationale, vol 47. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-2861-5_6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-2861-5_6
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
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