Content-Length: 260413 | pFad | https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-024-02445-y

=86400 Moon experienced more large impacts than we currently see on its surface | Nature Astronomy
Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Research Briefing
  • Published:

Moon experienced more large impacts than we currently see on its surface

The tail-end accretion hypothesis of planet formation posits that the early Moon underwent heavy impacts. Viscous relaxation erased lunar impact basins that formed shortly after the solidification of the lunar magma ocean, explaining the low number of basins currently present on the Moon.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Fig. 1: Temperature and crustal thickness variations as a function of time for an 800 km-diameter basin formed ~50 Ma after lunar magma ocean solidification on the nearside (Tc = 30 km) and farside (Tc = 40 km) of the Moon.

References

  1. Neukum, G., Ivanov, B. A. & Hartmann, W. K. Cratering records in the inner Solar System in relation to the lunar reference system. Space Sci. Rev. 96, 55–86 (2001). A review article that presents the lunar crater chronology system as a model for craters on other terrestrial bodies.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Morbidelli, A. et al. The timeline of the lunar bombardment: revisited. Icarus 305, 262–276 (2018). This paper reports the impactor population of the Moon with evidence from highly siderophile elements.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. Kleine, T. et al. Hf-W chronology of the accretion and early evolution of asteroids and terrestrial planets. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 73, 5150–5188 (2009). This paper reports the formation times of asteroids and terrestrial planets with geochemical evidence.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Zhu, M.-H. et al. Reconstructing the late-accretion history of the Moon. Nature 571, 226–229 (2019). This paper reports the bombardment history of the Moon with evidence from highly siderophile elements.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. Neumann, G. A. et al. Lunar impact basins revealed by Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory measurements. Sci. Adv. 1, e1500852 (2015). This paper reports the inventory of lunar basins as revealed from GRAIL observations.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Miljković, K. et al. Large impact cratering during lunar magma ocean solidification. Nat. Commun. 12, 5433 (2021). This paper reports that lunar basins formed before lunar magma ocean solidification were erased during impact cratering processes.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Additional information

Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

This is a summary of: Zhu, M.-H. et al. Obliteration of ancient impact basins on the Moon by viscous relaxation. Nat. Astron. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-024-02444-z (2024).

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Moon experienced more large impacts than we currently see on its surface. Nat Astron (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-024-02445-y

Download citation

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-024-02445-y

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing








ApplySandwichStrip

pFad - (p)hone/(F)rame/(a)nonymizer/(d)eclutterfier!      Saves Data!


--- a PPN by Garber Painting Akron. With Image Size Reduction included!

Fetched URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-024-02445-y

Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy