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The Moon: Its figure and orbital evolution
Author(s) -
Binder Alan B.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/gl009i001p00033
Subject(s) - geodetic datum , geology , continental shelf , sea level , earth (classical element) , geologic record , astrobiology , geodesy , geophysics , paleontology , oceanography , astronomy , physics
A first order analysis of current selenodetic and selenochronological data indicates that the present lunar figure was formed 3.0 ± 0.5 × 10 9 years ago at an earth‐moon distance of 20.4 ± 2.3 earth radii. This datum and data from a variety of sources are used to define the time evolution of the earth‐moon distance. It is shown that there was a sudden increase in this distance about 2 × 10 9 years ago when the Q of the earth must have decreased by a factor of 5. This change in Q correlates well with the onset of rapid continental growth and hence the expansion of shallow sea‐ and continental shelf waters as shown in the geological record for that time.