Completion of Lunar Magma Ocean Solidification at 4.43 Ga

TL;DR

This study determines that the lunar magma ocean crystallized over 99% by about 4.43 billion years ago, providing new insights into the Moon's early formation and the timing of lunar geological processes.

Contribution

It offers the first precise age estimate for lunar magma ocean solidification using Lu-Hf isotopic data, suggesting a formation age of approximately 4.45 billion years.

Findings

Lunar magma ocean crystallized over 99% by 4.43 Ga.

Lunar formation likely occurred around 4.45 Ga.

KREEP-rich reservoir emerged ~140 Myr after solar system formation.

Abstract

Crystallization of the lunar magma ocean yielded a chemically unique liquid residuum named KREEP. This component is expressed as a large patch on the near side of the Moon, and a possible smaller patch in the northwest portion of the Moon's South Pole-Aitken basin on the far side. Thermal models estimate that the crystallization of the lunar magma ocean (LMO) could have spanned from 10 and 200 Myr, while studies of radioactive decay systems have yielded inconsistent ages for the completion of LMO crystallization covering over 160 Myr. Here, we show that the Moon achieved over 99 percent crystallization at 4429+/-76 Myr, indicating a lunar formation age of 4450 Myr or possibly older. Using the 176Lu-176Hf decay system (t1/2=37 Gyr), we found that the initial 176Hf/177Hf ratios of lunar zircons with varied U-Pb ages are consistent with their crystallization from a KREEP-rich reservoir with a consistently low 176Lu/177Hf ratio of 0.0167 that emerged ~140 Myr after solar system formation. The previously proposed younger model age of 4.33 Ga for the source of mare basalts (240 Myr after solar system formation) might reflect the timing of a large impact. Our results demonstrate that lunar magma ocean crystallization took place while the Moon was still battered by planetary embryos and planetesimals leftover from the main stage of planetary accretion. Study of Lu-Hf model ages for samples brought back from the South Pole-Aitken basin will help to assess the lateral continuity of KREEP and further understand its significance in the early history of the Moon.