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Lunar Domes

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Encyclopedia of Lunar Science
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Morphometry

Lunar domes formed during the terminal phases of lunar eruptions and mostly occur in the maria. Few domes have been reported in the highlands. These volcanic constructs, formed during the later stages of volcanic episode on the Moon, characterized by a decreasing rate of lava extrusion and comparably low eruption temperatures, resulted in the formation of effusive domes. Most lunar domes are hemispherical and have summit pits and were formed by outpouring of magma from a central vent (effusive eruption). On the Earth, low and flat edifices are formed by basaltic lavas, such as the large Icelandic shield volcanoes, while more viscous lavas (such as andesitic and rhyolitic lavas with higher silica content) tend to build up steep volcanic edifices (Whitford-Stark and Head 1977).

Factors governing the morphological development of volcanic edifices are interrelated, including the viscosity of the erupted material, its temperature, its composition, the duration of the eruption...

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Correspondence to Raffaello Lena .

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Lena, R. (2023). Lunar Domes. In: Cudnik, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Lunar Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-14541-9_2

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