Other
Scientific paper
Dec 2011
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011agufm.p11i..03m&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2011, abstract #P11I-03
Other
[1160] Geochronology / Planetary And Lunar Geochronology, [5455] Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets / Origin And Evolution, [6250] Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects / Moon
Scientific paper
The earliest bombardment history of the Moon may provide constraints for early solar system evolution. A major uncertainty, however, is how much of this history is actually recorded in lunar craters. Here we show, using new counts of 15-150 km diameter craters on the most ancient lunar terrains, that the craters found on Nectarian-era terrains were formed by projectiles hitting twice as fast as those that made the oldest craters on Pre-Nectarian-era terrains. This dramatic velocity increase is consistent with the existence of a lunar impact cataclysm and potentially with a reconfiguration of giant planet orbits. We predict the lunar cataclysm started near the formation time of Nectaris basin, and the largest lunar basin, South Pole-Aitken, formed before that cataclysm. Finally, we use these findings, along with other geochemical constraints (e.g., lunar siderophile elements), to revise the early lunar chronology.
Bottke William F.
Kring David A.
Marchi Simone
Morbidelli Alessandro
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