Origin and formation mechanism of craters, seas and mascons on the Moon

Abstract

© 2019 Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd. The formation mechanism of craters with diameters D 10 km, as well as seas and mascons on the Moon, caused by the periodic falls of galactic comets, is considered. The basis of this mechanism is the cumulative effect due to the large kinetic energy of galactic comets and the high intensity of their falls. In contrast to craters, formation of seas and mascons occurs with the participation of geodynamic (magmatic) foci, which are formed due to strong heating and melting rocks beneath craters by cometary shock waves. The heating energy needed to create such foci is provided by falls of multiple galactic comets in conditions of high density of their falls. The model has been developed that allows studying cumulative effects at formation of lunar seas and mascons, based on the data of high-precision gravimetric and altimetric studies of the Moon. The model quantitatively explains the differences in the total number of seas and distribution them in size on the visible and reverse side of the Moon.