Moon's Major Internal Divisions

Moon’s Major Internal Divisions

The Moon’s Internal Structure

• The Moon’s internal structure is divided into three primary sections: the crust, the mantle, and the core.

Crust

• The crust is the moon’s outermost layer, the surface that is visible from Earth.
• It’s primarily composed of oxygen, silicon, magnesium, aluminium, calcium, and iron.
• The thickness of the moon’s crust varies, averaging from about 70 kilometres on the near side and 100 kilometres on the far side.
• Most of the moon’s craters and mountains are located in this layer.

Mantle

• Beneath the crust lies the mantle, which extends about halfway to the moon’s core.
• The mantle is rich in silicate minerals and in contrast to Earth’s mantle it has less iron.
• Moonquakes, or seismic activity on the moon, have provided evidence about the properties of the mantle.
• Current research suggests the upper mantle might have pockets of partially molten rock.

Core

• The core is the moon’s innermost part and is thought to be small and only partly molten.
• There’s a lot of debate on the size and composition of the moon’s core. Some estimates suggest it could be up to 20% of the moon’s radius.
• The core might contain small amounts of sulphur and nickel, as well as iron.
• The moon’s weak magnetic field suggests that its core does not circulate in the same way as Earth’s core.

Summary

• Understanding the moon’s internal divisions - crust, mantle, and core - helps scientists unravel the mysteries of its formation and evolution.
• The internal structure of the moon is not as well-known as that of the Earth, and research continues to gain a fuller picture.