AST Colloquium - Origin of the Earth and Moon
Origin of the Earth and MoonDr. Miki NakajimaAssistant ProfessorUniversity of RochesterAbstract:The Apollo lunar samples reveal that Earth and Moon have strikingly similar isotopic ratios, suggesting that these bodies may share the same source materials. This leads to the giant impact hypothesis, suggesting the Moon formed from a disk that was generated by an impact between Earth and a Mars-sized object. However, impact simulations indicate that this model does not mix the two bodies well, making it challenging to explain the similarity assuming that the impactor was isotopically different from the proto-Earth. We investigate which proposed models are more consistent with geochemical and dynamical observations based on hydrodynamic simulations.Intended Audience:All are welcome. No background knowledge required.
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