Publication Date:
2019-07-13
Description:
The Moon is believed to have formed from debris produced by a giant impact of a Mars sized body with the Earth (at around 4.51 Ga), forming a primitive body with a thick global layer of melt referred to as the Lunar Magma Ocean (LMO). The crystallization of LMO created internal stratification of the Moon forming main geochemical reservoirs. The surface features on the Moon were shaped by the subsequent collision with several large impactors during a short period of time (3.9-4.0 Ga). This process known as the Late Heavy Bombardment is supported by models of planetary motion, suggesting that rapid migration of giant planets could have triggered a massive delivery of planetesimals from the asteroid belt into the inner Solar System at about 3.9 Ga. Although, general chronology of LMO and LHB is well established using both long lived (U-Pb, Rb-Sr, Sm-147-Nd-143 and Ar-Ar) and extinct (Hf-182-W-182 and 146Sm-142Nd) isotope systems, some of these systems such as Ar-Ar are known to reset easily during secondary thermal overprints. As a result important details in the timing of LMO and LHB remain unresolved. In addition, the relative weakness of these systems under high T conditions can potentially bias the chronological information towards later events in the history of the Moon.
Keywords:
Lunar and Planetary Science and Exploration
Type:
JSC-17816
,
40th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference; Mar 23, 2009 - Mar 27, 2009; Texas; United States
Format:
application/pdf
