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Lateral Variations in Lunar Crustal Thickness Inferred From Apollo Seismic and GRAIL Gravity Data.

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Title: Lateral Variations in Lunar Crustal Thickness Inferred From Apollo Seismic and GRAIL Gravity Data.
Authors: Zhang, Xiang1,2 (AUTHOR) zxiang@ipgp.fr, Kawamura, Taichi1 (AUTHOR), Drilleau, Mélanie1,3 (AUTHOR), Lognonné, Philippe1 (AUTHOR), Henri, Samuel1 (AUTHOR), Xu, Zongbo1,4 (AUTHOR), Onodera, Keisuke5 (AUTHOR), Bodin, Thomas6 (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets. May2026, Vol. 131 Issue 5, p1-16. 16p.
Subject Terms: Mohorovicic discontinuity, Moon, Seismic waves, Seismic surveys, Lunar surface, Gravity anomalies, Planetary interiors
Company/Entity: Apollo program (U.S.)
Abstract: The internal structure of the Moon is key to understanding its formation, evolution, and bulk composition. In particular, determining the structure of the crust–mantle interface (Moho), including its lateral variations, is of significant importance, but current knowledge is still insufficient to fully constrain it. To address this, we used seismic wave arrivals from impact events, which yield constraints on the crust at both the impact sites and the Apollo stations, to invert for local crustal thickness. Based on a series of assumed crust and mantle density models, we compared Moho depths inferred from global gravity recovery and interior laboratory gravity data with those from seismic observations. Although the gravity‐derived results broadly capture the overall Moho relief, local discrepancies remain, with differences reaching up to 10 km in the vicinity of the Apollo 17 Saturn IVB impact site. These results may reflect regional geological anomalies and highlight the importance of incorporating multiple seismically constrained crustal thickness estimates as anchors in gravity inversions. Using seven seismic anchor points and assuming an upper mantle velocity of Vp= $Vp=$ 7.68 km/s $\mathrm{km}/\mathrm{s}$, an upper mantle density of 3,280 kg/m3 $\mathrm{kg}/{\mathrm{m}}^{3}$, and a crustal density of 2,693 kg/m3 $\mathrm{kg}/{\mathrm{m}}^{3}$, we obtain an average lunar crustal thickness of 43.6 ± $\pm $ 1.9 km. The findings also provide valuable guidance for future global 3D modeling of the Moon. Plain Language Summary: Understanding the Moon's internal structure is important for learning how it formed, evolved, and what it is made of. A key boundary inside the Moon is the crust–mantle interface, known as the Moho, but its depth remains uncertain. In this study, we used seismic waves from impact events to estimate local crustal thickness at both impact sites and Apollo stations. By comparing these seismic estimates with global GRAIL gravity data, we found that gravity broadly captures the Moon's overall crustal structure but can differ locally by up to 10 km. Incorporating multiple seismic measurements as anchors improves the accuracy of gravity‐based models. Using seven anchor points and specific assumptions for mantle and crustal properties, we estimate an average lunar crustal thickness of 43.6 ± $\pm $ 1.9 km. These results provide guidance for future global 3‐D models of the Moon. Key Points: We used Apollo seismic data beneath impact locations and Apollo stations to determine the local lunar crustal thicknessThe seismic results were quantitatively compared with those obtained from gravity recovery and interior laboratory gravity dataIntegrated gravity and seismic data provide improved insights on the Moho structure of the Moon [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Lateral Variations in Lunar Crustal Thickness Inferred From Apollo Seismic and GRAIL Gravity Data.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhang%2C+Xiang%22">Zhang, Xiang</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> zxiang@ipgp.fr</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kawamura%2C+Taichi%22">Kawamura, Taichi</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Drilleau%2C+Mélanie%22">Drilleau, Mélanie</searchLink><relatesTo>1,3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lognonné%2C+Philippe%22">Lognonné, Philippe</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Henri%2C+Samuel%22">Henri, Samuel</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Xu%2C+Zongbo%22">Xu, Zongbo</searchLink><relatesTo>1,4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Onodera%2C+Keisuke%22">Onodera, Keisuke</searchLink><relatesTo>5</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bodin%2C+Thomas%22">Bodin, Thomas</searchLink><relatesTo>6</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Geophysical+Research%2E+Planets%22">Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets</searchLink>. May2026, Vol. 131 Issue 5, p1-16. 16p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mohorovicic+discontinuity%22">Mohorovicic discontinuity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Moon%22">Moon</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Seismic+waves%22">Seismic waves</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Seismic+surveys%22">Seismic surveys</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Lunar+surface%22">Lunar surface</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gravity+anomalies%22">Gravity anomalies</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Planetary+interiors%22">Planetary interiors</searchLink>
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  Label: Abstract
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  Data: The internal structure of the Moon is key to understanding its formation, evolution, and bulk composition. In particular, determining the structure of the crust–mantle interface (Moho), including its lateral variations, is of significant importance, but current knowledge is still insufficient to fully constrain it. To address this, we used seismic wave arrivals from impact events, which yield constraints on the crust at both the impact sites and the Apollo stations, to invert for local crustal thickness. Based on a series of assumed crust and mantle density models, we compared Moho depths inferred from global gravity recovery and interior laboratory gravity data with those from seismic observations. Although the gravity‐derived results broadly capture the overall Moho relief, local discrepancies remain, with differences reaching up to 10 km in the vicinity of the Apollo 17 Saturn IVB impact site. These results may reflect regional geological anomalies and highlight the importance of incorporating multiple seismically constrained crustal thickness estimates as anchors in gravity inversions. Using seven seismic anchor points and assuming an upper mantle velocity of Vp= $Vp=$ 7.68 km/s $\mathrm{km}/\mathrm{s}$, an upper mantle density of 3,280 kg/m3 $\mathrm{kg}/{\mathrm{m}}^{3}$, and a crustal density of 2,693 kg/m3 $\mathrm{kg}/{\mathrm{m}}^{3}$, we obtain an average lunar crustal thickness of 43.6 ± $\pm $ 1.9 km. The findings also provide valuable guidance for future global 3D modeling of the Moon. Plain Language Summary: Understanding the Moon's internal structure is important for learning how it formed, evolved, and what it is made of. A key boundary inside the Moon is the crust–mantle interface, known as the Moho, but its depth remains uncertain. In this study, we used seismic waves from impact events to estimate local crustal thickness at both impact sites and Apollo stations. By comparing these seismic estimates with global GRAIL gravity data, we found that gravity broadly captures the Moon's overall crustal structure but can differ locally by up to 10 km. Incorporating multiple seismic measurements as anchors improves the accuracy of gravity‐based models. Using seven anchor points and specific assumptions for mantle and crustal properties, we estimate an average lunar crustal thickness of 43.6 ± $\pm $ 1.9 km. These results provide guidance for future global 3‐D models of the Moon. Key Points: We used Apollo seismic data beneath impact locations and Apollo stations to determine the local lunar crustal thicknessThe seismic results were quantitatively compared with those obtained from gravity recovery and interior laboratory gravity dataIntegrated gravity and seismic data provide improved insights on the Moho structure of the Moon [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1029/2025JE009453
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 16
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    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Mohorovicic discontinuity
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Moon
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      – SubjectFull: Seismic waves
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      – SubjectFull: Seismic surveys
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Lunar surface
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Gravity anomalies
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      – SubjectFull: Planetary interiors
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      – SubjectFull: Apollo program (U.S.)
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      – TitleFull: Lateral Variations in Lunar Crustal Thickness Inferred From Apollo Seismic and GRAIL Gravity Data.
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              Text: May2026
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              Y: 2026
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