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How to Generate a Lunar Dynamo: Core Dynamics Modelling with Mechanically-Driven Flow

Palaeomagnetic studies have been conducted on various lunar samples returned by the Apollo missions. Recent measurements have shown that the Moon had a dynamo that persisted until at least 3.6 Ga. Thermal evolution models have had difficulty in producing the convection needed in generating a dynamo that late in the Moon's history. Without convection in the core, an alternate mechanism is needed to drive the fluid core at sufficient vigour in order to generate the ancient dynamo observed in the palaeomagnetic data. In this presentation, I will be discussing the methods and preliminary results of a core dynamics model with flow driven by mechanical forcing in lieu of thermal-chemical convection.