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Notes and References
F. Sacco, articleSelenologie inHandwörterbuch der Naturwissenschaften, vol. 9, p. 7. Jena 1913.
G. Dahmer, ‘Die Gebilde der Mondoberfläche’,Neues Jahrb. Min., Geol. u. Palänt, 1911,I. pp. 89–113. Also see same journal 1912,II pp. 42-44.
Translator's note: In the original text Wegener uses the wordMassenkraft which I translated as ‘mass force’. I believe, however, this is identical with ‘gravitational force’.
Among 1095 altitude measurements Mädler found six peaks between 6000 and 7000 meters, 21 between 5000 and 6000 m; 82 between 4000 and 5000 m. above the surrounding terrain.
It is interesting to note that these ideas, among many absurdities, were clearly stated by Gruithuisen in hisAnalekten für Erd- und Himmelskunde (vol. 2, p. 48, Munich 1928). “Here we deal with totally rigid masses. The effects of gravity overcome their strength more easily as the masses become larger. The large masses would like to sink into the Moon, so its total rigidity (Kohärenz) would be like that of other heavenly bodies. Figuratively speaking, the heavenly bodies behave more like dough or soft lime as they become larger. So, even if the Moon were always as rigid as it is today it would still have a spheric shape.”
H. Ebert, ‘Ein Vorlesungsversuch aus dem Gebiete der physikalischen Geographie’ (Bildung der Schlammvulkane und der Mondringgebirge)Ann. d. Phys. u. Chem. N. F. 41 (277), 351–363 (1890).
J. v. Wolff,Der Vulkanismus, I, Stuttgart 1914.
E. Suess, ‘Einige Bemerkungen Über den Mond’,Sitzungsber. d. k. Akad. d. Wissensch. zu Wien (1)104, 21–54 (1895). See also in the same place (1) 116, 1355, 1561 (1907) also inDas Antlitz der Erde III (2), s. 627. Translator's note: An English edition ofDas Antlitz der Erde exists:The Face of the Earth, 5 vols. Oxford, Clarendon Press 1904-1924, translated under the direction of Prof. Sollas.
In his paper which will be quoted later, Gilbert gives an average diameter of 18 km (maximum 24 km.) for the terrestrial volcanic craters. Most of these, however, have been enlarged by erosion.
J. Franz,Der Mond. (FromNatur und Geisteswelt, 90, 2nd Edition, p. 75 Leipzig 1912).
A. Wegener, ‘Die Entstehung der Kontinente and Ozeane’, 2nd Edition,Die Wissenschaft 66, Braunschweig 1920. Translator's note: The first English translation of this important work is that of the 3rd German edition (1922) and was published by Methuen, London in 1924 under the title:The Origin of Continents and Oceans. The translation of the 4th edition is more easily accessible:The Origin of Continents and Oceans, Dover, New York, 1966. Also under the same title, the same edition was published by Methuen, London 1967.
H. von P. Gruithuisen,Analekten für Erd. u. Himmelskunde, vol. 2 München, 1828 - On the other hand I do not agree that Kant'sAllgemeine Naturgeschichte und Theorie des Himmels, which has often been quoted in this connection, is in accordance with the impact hypothesis. Also see S. Günther ‘Die Entstehung der Lehre von der meteoritischen Bildung des Erdkörpers’,Sitzungsber. d. Bayer. Akad. d. Wissensch., math.-phys. Kl., p. 21ff, 1908.
K. L. Althans, ‘Über Versuche, die eigentümliche Gestalt der Mondoberfläche zu erklären’,Gaea 27, 7, 87 (quoted after S. Günther).
H. Archenhold, ‘Zur Entstehung der Mondkrater’,Das Weltall 18, 166–171 (1918).
K. L. Althans,Grundzüge zur ganzlichen Umgestaltung der bisherigen Geologie oder kurze Darstellung der Weltkörper und Erdrindenbildung, 1839.
R. Proctor,The Moon, London 1873.
A. Meydenbauer, ‘Über die Bildung der Mondoberfläche’,Sirius 10 (N.F. 5), 180 (1877) (contains only the description of the experiment with no illustrations) - ‘Die Gebilde der Mondoberfläche’, same place15 (N.F. 10), 59-64 (1882), with plates -Kant oder Laplace? Kosmologische Studie, Marburg (Elwert) 1880 -Kohle, Kali und Petroleum, Himmel und Erde, pp. 390-401 (1906) (also contains plates of his experiment).
H. Ahlsdorf, ‘Experimentelle Darstellungen von Gebilden der Mondoberfläche, mit besonderer Berücksichtigung der Details’,Gaea 1898, p. 35ff.
Heinrich W. J. Thiersch and August Thiersch,Die Physiognomie des Mondes, An attempt to interpret the surface of the Moon in connection with the works of Mädler, Nasmyth und Carpenter, 42 pp., Augsburg 1883.
G. K. Gilbert, The Moon's Face; a study of the Origin of its Features,Bulletin of the Phil. Soc. of Washington 12, 241–292 (1892-1894); see also H. J. Klein,Jahrb. d. Astron. u. Geophys. 5, 33ff. Leipzig 1894.
E. H. L. Schwarz, ‘The Probability of large Meteorites having fallen upon the Earth’, Journ. of Geology17, 124ff (after S. Günther).
N. S. Shaler, ‘A Comparison of the Features of the Earth and the Moon’,Smiths. Contributions to Knowledge 34, No. 1438 Washington 1903 (after S. Günther).
After a reference inTägl. Rundschau of 29th of December, 1904. Unfortunately. I could not see the original work.
H. Martus, ‘Die Gestalten der Ringgebirge des Mondes sind Zeichen seiner Entstehungsweise’,Das Weltall 8, 73 (1907/08) -Die Entstehungsweise der Monde der Planeten, Dresden 1909. (Reviewed by C. Schoy inGaea 45, 555ff.).
H. J. Johnston-Lavis, ‘Systems of Rays on the Moon's Surface’,Nature 92, 631 (1913/14).
Also T. J. J. See is supposed to have discussed the same problem. Unfortunately, I could not get a hold of his work on this matter.
A. Wegener, Versuche zur Aufsturztheorie der Mondkrater.Nova Acta. Abh. d. Leop. - Carol. Deutsch. Akad. d. Naturf. 106, Nr. 2, 107–117, Halle 1920- ‘Die Aufsturzhypothese der Mondkrater’,Sirius 53, 189-194 (1920).
H. Ebert, ‘Über die Ringgebirge des Mondes’,Sitzungsber. d. Physik - med. Soc. Erlangen 1890, pp. 171-191.
Ebert found this value to be equal to 10 in the craters having a diameter smaller than 28 km, 20 in the ones having diameters between 28 and 90, 32 for the ones between 90 and 120 and 40 for craters larger than 120 km diameters.
Am. Journ. of Sci. 1891, p. 413.
D. M. Barringer, ‘Meteor Crater in Northern Central Arizona’ (ReferenceAm. Journ. of Sci. 1910, p. 427).
Quarterly Issue of the Smithsonian Miscellaneous Contributions, Vol. I, January 1908, p. 265; 1911, pp. 461-498. See alsoAm. Journ. of Sci. 1908, p. 265; 1911, p. 335; 1915, p. 482 - A short German description with numerous photographs can be found in L. Waagen,Unsere Erde, München o.J., p. 5577.
J. J. Landerer, ‘Sur l'angle de polarisation de la lune’,Compt. Rend. 109, 360–362 (1889), Il -‘Sur l'angle de polarisation des roches ignées et sur les premières déductions sélènologiques qui s'y rapportent’,ibid. 111, 210-212 (1890), Il.
H. Ebert, ‘Beitrag zur Physik der Mondoberfläche’,Sitzungsber. d. Bayer. Akad. d. Wissensch., math.-phys. Kl. 38, 150–180 (1908).
A. Wegener, ‘Versuche zur Aufsturztheorie der Mondkrater’,Nova Acta. Abhandl. d. Leop.-Carol. Deutsch. Akad. d. Naturf. 106, No. 2, p. 111, Ammerung, Halle 1920.
According to Gilbert, the Mare Imbrium is surrounded by a radial furrow structure which covers the half of the Moon disk. The parts of the same have already been described by Beer and Mädler and also by Neison.
Also the present orbit of the Moon can be viewed as being around the Sun. It is never convex to the latter.
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Die Entstehung der Mondkrater von Dr Alfred Wegener, Sammlung Vieweg, Heft 55, Braunschweig, Druck und Verlag von Friedr. Vieweg & Sohn, 1921; 48 Seiten, mit 9 Abbildungen im Text und auf 3 Tafeln.
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Wegener, A., Celâl Şengör, A.M. The origin of lunar craters. The Moon 14, 211–236 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00565323
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00565323