Oxygen isotopic evidence for vigorous mixing during the Moon-forming giant impact

doi:10.1126/science.aad0525

Oxygen isotopic evidence for vigorous mixing during the Moon-forming giant impact

Earth and the Moon are shown here to have indistinguishable oxygen isotope ratios, with a difference in Δでるた‧¹⁷O of -1 ± 5 parts per million (2 standard error). On the basis of these data and our new planet formation simulations that include a realistic model for primordial oxygen isotopic reservoirs, our results favor vigorous mixing during the giant impact and therefore a high-energy, high-angular-momentum impact. The results indicate that the late veneer impactors had an average Δでるた‧¹⁷O within approximately 1 per mil of the terrestrial value, limiting possible sources for this late addition of mass to the Earth-Moon system.

Publication:

Science

Pub Date:

January 2016

DOI:

10.1126/science.aad0525

arXiv:

arXiv:1603.04536

Bibcode:

2016Sci...351..493Y

Keywords:

PLANET SCI;
Astrophysics - Earth and Planetary Astrophysics

E-Print:

Science, Volume 351, Issue 6272, pp. 493-496 (2016)

NASA/ADS

Oxygen isotopic evidence for vigorous mixing during the Moon-forming giant impact

Abstract