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EI2GYB > ASTRO 20.09.21 08:02z 80 Lines 3689 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
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Subj: Shining a light on Moon's oldest geologic imprints
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Sent: 210920/0757Z @:EI2GYB.DGL.IRL.EURO #:14822 BPQ6.0.22
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Shining a light on Moon's oldest geologic imprints
Summary:
New research has found the Moon may have been subjected to much greater
impacts from asteroids and other bodies than previously thought, building on
our understanding of the Moon's earliest geologic evolution.
New Curtin research has found the Moon may have been subjected to much greater
impacts from asteroids and other bodies than previously thought, building on
our understanding of the Moon's earliest geologic evolution.
Published in Nature Communications, the research provides a greater insight of
how the oldest impact events on the Moon may have left near-invisible cratering
imprints, offering a unique perspective about the evolution of the Earth-Moon
system.
Lead researcher Associate Professor Katarina Miljkovic, from Curtin's School of
Earth and Planetary Science and the Space Science and Technology Centre, said
the craters on the Moon may have looked significantly different if they
occurred while the Moon was still cooling, following its formation.
"These large impact craters, often referred to as impact basins, formed during
the lunar magma ocean solidification more than four billion years ago, should
have produced different looking craters, in comparison to those formed later in
geologic history," Associate Professor Miljkovic said.
"A very young Moon had formed with a global magma ocean that cooled over
millions of years, to form the Moon we see today. So when asteroids and other
bodies hit a softer surface, it wouldn't have left such severe imprints,
meaning there would be little geologic or geophysical evidence that impact had
occurred."
"The timeframe for the solidification of the lunar magma ocean varies
significantly between different studies, but it could have been prolonged
enough to experience some of the large impact bombardment history typical for
the earliest periods of the solar system evolution.
"As the moon ages and the surface cools, it becomes harder, and the bombardment
imprints are a lot more noticeable by remote sensing."
Associate Professor Miljkovic said it remained imperative to understand the
bombardment and the cratering record from the earliest epochs of solar system
history in order to complete the story of how planets formed and evolved.
By comparing different perspectives of asteroid dynamics and lunar evolution
modelling, Associate Professor Miljkovic said her research suggested the Moon
may be missing evidence of its earliest crating record.
"In this research, we set out to explain the discrepancy between theory and
observations of the lunar crating record," Associate Professor Miljkovic said.
"Translating this finding will help future research understand the impact that
the early Earth could have experienced and how it would have affected our
planet's evolution."
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