Open AccessMicrocratering within the lunar regolith — a theory and observation
Author(s) -
Hammond Ernest C.,
Berry F. Denise,
Mitchell Franchezka,
Barron Daniel,
Cohen Samuel H.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
scanning
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.359
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1932-8745
pISSN - 0161-0457
DOI - 10.1002/sca.4950220104
Subject(s) - regolith , astrobiology , lunar soil , solar system , earth science , apollo , geology , impact crater , astronomy , physics , zoology , biology
Since the Apollo 11 mission to the moon, there has been substantial analysis of the lunar rocks and soil grains, utilizing more recent advances in electron probe technologies. It is the objective of this research to revisit the theories concerning the microcratering within the lunar regolith. Recent theories have included the idea that the microcratering phenomenon was caused by meteoric impacting onto the lunar surface during early lunar history. Other theories have suggested that the microcratering was a result of secondary ejector associated with micrometeoric and meteoric impact. This research team suggests that microcratering may have been associated with primordial dust during and before the formation of our solar system.