Lunar and Planetary Science XLVIII (2017) 1276.pdf INSIGHTS INTO EARLY LUNAR CHRONOLOGY FROM GRAIL DATA. Alexander J. Evans1,2, Jeffrey C. Andrews-Hanna1,2, Jason M. Soderblom3, Sean C. Solomon4, and Maria T. Zuber3. 1Planetary Science Directorate, Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA,
[email protected]; 2Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; 3Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Mas- sachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; 4Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, NY 10964, USA. Introduction: Establishing the absolute and the gravity data from the Gravity Recovery and Interior relative chronology of ancient lunar events is of Laboratory (GRAIL) mission to re-examine the ages for fundamental importance to our understanding of early the formation of lunar terranes and the chronological Solar System history and the evolution of rocky sequence of major impact basin formation [7-11]. planetary bodies. In this endeavor, the Moon has a Topography (km) (a) 10 unique quantitative role, as it is the only planetary body -9 from which absolute and relative ages can be calibrated 90°000N to one another, by way of radiometric dating of returned samples and observable surface crater densities, respectively [1-4]. In contrast to the relatively young 0010° and heavily modified surfaces of some other planetary bodies, a majority of the lunar surface has been well preserved since antiquity and thus retains the most comprehensive surface cratering record presently 90002° S 180° 005W 0040° 180003 ° E known to exist. (b) 90°000 N For some lunar deposits associated with impact basins, such as Imbrium, absolute ages have been relatively well constrained [5].