Geologists uncover how meteorites struck moon
January 24th, 2012 - 3:06 pm ICT by IANSSydney, Jan 24 (IANS) A wealth of evidence, provided by lunar rock samples, shows how meteorites struck the moon.
The study, headed by microstructural geology experts Nick Timms and Steven Reddy, professor, Western Australian School of Mines (WASM), documents the discovery of impact-related shock features in lunar zircon.
Timms said they stumbled upon the discovery while looking more closely at lunar zircon mineral grains, with the use of microscopy facilities at Curtin University, the journal Meteoritics and Planetary Science reports.
They found the presence of preserved microscopic details, known as planar deformation features (PDFs), as well as micro-twins (impact indicators), which are only ever produced by large-scale meteorite impacts, according to a WASM statement.
“This research is the first to report the presence of PDFs and micro-twins in lunar zircon, which provide unequivocal evidence of the immense pressures that occur during an impact event,” Timms said.
“This research also provides a new explanation of how these features form. As shock waves pass through a rock, fractions of a second after a meteorite impact, these features form like microscopic crumple zones which are caused by directional differences in zircon’s elasticity.”
Timms said the research was a step closer to the major scientific goal of establishing the absolute timing of meteorite impact events on the moon, and consequently, the inner solar system.
“The current paradigm for the early impact history of our solar system stems from studies of lunar rocks and involves a period of intense impact events around 3.9 billion years ago, known as the ‘Late Heavy Bombardment’,” he said.
- Rare moon rock found on earth - Jan 17, 2012
- Earliest rocks in solar system 'looked more like candy floss' - Mar 28, 2011
- Human settlement on the moon not so far-fetched - Jul 22, 2010
- NASA research could shed light on early stages of planet formation - Dec 10, 2010
- Oldest zircon from lunar rock suggests molten moon solidified 90 million years after creation - Jan 27, 2009
- Water on moon 'originated from comets' - Jan 12, 2011
- Sugar-grain sized meteorites 'rocked early Earth, Mars' climates' - Apr 02, 2011
- Meteor hunter finds 4 billion years old asteroid fragments - Apr 27, 2012
- NASA scientists discover fresh crater on Moon's surface - Aug 11, 2010
- Moon may have as much water as Earth has - May 27, 2011
- Scientists discover new type of mineral in historic meteorite - Apr 06, 2011
- Twin NASA probes reach lunar orbit - Jan 02, 2012
- Martian meteorites suggest collision with Red planet caused water flow - Feb 03, 2011
- Water discovered in Apollo moon rocks - Mar 10, 2010
- Scientists say earth makeup differs from sun - Apr 02, 2012
Tags: absolute timing, crumple zones, curtin university, deformation features, directional differences, impact event, impact indicators, inner solar system, lunar rock, lunar rocks, meteorite impact events, meteorite impacts, meteoritics and planetary science, microscopic details, microscopy facilities, mineral grains, new explanation, rock samples, science reports, shock waves