Abstract
Whitepaper #290 submitted to the Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey 2023-2032. Topics: interior evolution and volcanism; Mercury and/or the Moon; solar system formation, dynamics processes, and chronology
Highlights
The Moon’s enormous South Pole-Aitken basin (SPA) holds in its rocks and regolith keys to unlock secrets of the early evolution of the Moon, Earth, and Solar System
Samples from SPA will provide a test of the “cataclysm” or late-heavy bombardment that is implied by the analysis of lunar samples (Tera et al, 1974)
We present the case for sample return as the most efficient way to unambiguously determine the chronology of the SPA basin
Summary
The Moon’s enormous South Pole-Aitken basin (SPA) holds in its rocks and regolith keys to unlock secrets of the early evolution of the Moon, Earth, and Solar System. Did the impact excavate materials from the Moon’s mantle and what can those materials, as well as later-formed volcanic rocks, reveal about the nature of the Moon’s early differentiation and formation of its planetary-scale asymmetries?
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
