60-46 Crater Age Dating and Geomorphologic Study of the Moon

Session: 2YC and 4YCU Geoscience Student Research Poster Showcase

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Geomorphology provides insights into the formation and evolution of landforms- giving us knowledge into the past, present, and future- while age dating reveals the geological timeline of surfaces and layers, including resurfacing events such as lava flows. The integration of both methods facilitates a thorough analysis of celestial bodies, providing crucial insights into their history, evolution, and potential habitability. The first step in this research was data collection from various reputable sources. GIS was used to carefully select the appropriate data layers to create a detailed map of the Moon's craters, identifying each crater’s age. Data was then extracted from the GIS-generated map to create numerical models and charts which were crucial for analyzing and interpreting the spatial distribution and characteristics of lunar craters. Additionally, cross-sections were created of selected craters, Philolaus, Copernicus, and Amundsen to assess their stratigraphy and potential resurfacing events using Java Mission-planning and Analysis for Remote Sensing (JMARS). 

According to the findings, Philolaus, sitting at just around 70km, and Copernicus, around 90km, appear to be similar in age ranking as the youngest of the studied craters (Copernican period (<1.1Ga)), while Amundsen is the oldest at about 100km in diameter (Imbrian (3.85-3.2Ga)). However, resurfacing events or lava flows may  have modified the original sizes and depths of these craters, thus influencing age estimations. 

The presence of central peaks and less evidence of resurfacing in the Amundsen and Copernicus craters suggests they have remained relatively undisturbed since their formation, which doesn’t support their classification as older features. Interestingly, the three craters exhibit similar depths, which could imply that there have been varying resurfacing events which leveled out the craters with time. To further assess the ages of these craters, we analyzed their perimeters using GIS data. The results show that the South Pole region has the smallest craters across all ages, while the Mercator region features the largest, with the North Pole region falling in between. The Nectarian and Imbrian ages stand out with a higher abundance of large craters. This pattern lines up with the phenomenon known as the "late heavy bombardment."

Further research is currently in action, examining the resurfacing events in depth to compare how resurfacing events differ on each region of the moon. 

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Program. Vol. 57, No. 6, 2025

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-9922

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