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Apollo Impact Melts Record a Rapidly Declining Impact Rate in the Late Imbrian
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  • Austin M. Blevins,
  • David Minton,
  • Jun Du,
  • Ya Huei Huang,
  • Marissa M. Tremblay,
  • Caleb I. Fassett
Austin M. Blevins
Purdue University

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David Minton
Purdue University
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Jun Du
Purdue University
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Ya Huei Huang
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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Marissa M. Tremblay
Purdue University
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Caleb I. Fassett
Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory
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Abstract

Lunar chronology functions are calibrated from Apollo samples that have a well-defined radiometric age and are correlated to a region with a known crater density. Different chronology functions have been constructed based on different crater counts and different curve fits to crater-counting data. The Neukum Production Function (NPF) is the most commonly used chronology function for the Moon, but there also exists the Robbins Production Function (RPF). The RPF is notable for featuring a much more rapid drop off in impactor flux during the Imbrian period. Using an impact bombardment model, we modeled the distribution of impact melt at the Apollo sites for the Imbrian period. Large sub-basin craters like the 250 km Iridum sub-basin may be the source of some melts at Apollo sites, but it is very difficult to determine specific craters of origin for impact melts from this time period. The distribution of Apollo melt ages is more compatible with the steep decline in impactor flux during the Imbrian characterizing the RPF than the more gradual decline of the NPF.
26 Sep 2024Submitted to ESS Open Archive
27 Sep 2024Published in ESS Open Archive