Chinese Researchers Date Apollo Basin on the Moon to 4.16 Billion Years Ago

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A team led by Chinese scientists has determined that the Apollo Basin, a significant impact crater on the far side of the moon, formed approximately 4.16 billion years ago. This conclusion was reached through the analysis of lunar samples collected during last year’s Chang’e-6 mission.

Researchers from the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, conducted precise dating of three samples retrieved by the lunar probe. By combining data from remote sensing imagery and geochemical analyses, they established the age of the Apollo Basin. Their findings, published in a scientific journal, suggest that the impact event creating the basin occurred around 4.16 billion years ago.

These new results extend the timeline of the moon’s Late Heavy Bombardment (LHB) period by at least 100 million years. The LHB is a theorized epoch during which a barrage of asteroids and comets struck the moon, forming major basins. Scientists have long debated whether the intensity of these impacts decreased gradually over time or peaked sharply around 3.8 to 4 billion years ago.

Located within the South Pole-Aitken Basin, the Apollo Basin is the largest secondary impact structure in that region. Its formation date is vital for understanding the history of lunar impacts. The recent research indicates that the LHB impact flux decayed gradually, arguing against the idea of a sudden spike in impact activity during that period.

In a separate study published earlier this year, Chinese scientists confirmed that the South Pole-Aitken Basin formed approximately 4.25 billion years ago. This research provided valuable insights into the moon’s early development and the broader evolution of the solar system.

The Chang’e-6 mission, launched from China on May 3 of the previous year, returned to Earth after 53 days. It brought back over 1.9 kilograms of samples from the moon’s far side — a historic first for humanity.

Ongoing analysis of the samples continues to enhance our understanding of the Earth-moon system’s evolution.