Lunar cratering chronology based on high-resolution image data obtained by the recent lunar explorations

2012 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23840048
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Solid earth and planetary physics
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: MOROTA Tomokatsu 名古屋大学, 環境学研究科, 助教 (30415898)
• Project Period (FY): 2011 – 2012
• Keywords: 月 / クレータ / クレーター年代学 / 天体衝突 / 惑星探査

Research Abstract

In order to investigate the time behavior of impact flux, I performed size-frequency measurements of small craters on ejecta blankets of lunar fresh craters using high-resolution images obtained by Kaguya and Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. The measured crater size-frequency distributions have a steeper slope in the diameter range of D <= 100 m compared to previous production functions. Using new crater production function, I derived the relationship between the crater frequencies and the absolute ages, suggesting that the cratering rate decreased with time.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Viscoelastic deformation of lunar impact basins: Implications for heterogeneity in the deep crustal paleo-thermal state and radioactive element concentration (2013)
  • Author(s): Kamata, S., S. Sugita, Y. Abe, Y. Ishihara, Y. Harada, T. Morota, N. Namiki, T. Iwata, H. Hanada, H. Araki, K. Matsumoto, E. Tajika
  • Journal Title: J. Geophys. Res. Volume: 118 Pages: 1-18
  • DOI: DOI:10.1002/jgre.20056
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Olivine-rich exposures in the South Pole-Aitken basin (2012)
  • Author(s): Yamamoto, S., R. Nakamura, T. Matsunaga, Y. Ogawa, Y. Ishihara, T. Morota, N. Hirata, M. Ohtake, T. Hiroi, Y. Yokota, and J. Haruyama
  • Journal Title: Icarus Volume: 218 Pages: 331-344
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Dichotomic crustal formation 1 of the Moon indicated by Mg# under the influence of the Earth (2012)
  • Author(s): Ohtake, M., H. Takeda, T. Matsunaga, Y. Yokota, J. Haruyama, T. Morota, S. Yamamoto, Y. Ogawa, T. Hiroi, Y. Karouji, K. Saiki, and P.G. Lucey
  • Journal Title: Nature Geosci. Volume: 5 Pages: 384-388
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Young mare volcanism in the Orientale region contemporary with the Procellarum KREEP Terrane (PKT) volcanism peak period ~2 billion years ago (2012)
  • Author(s): Cho, Y., T. Morota, M. Yasui, N. Hirata, J. Haruyama, and S. Sugita
  • Journal Title: Geophys. Res. Lett Volume: 39 Pages: L11203
  • DOI: DOI:10.1029/2012GL05183
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Lunar farside Th distribution measured by Kaguya gamma-ray spectrometer (2012)
  • Author(s): Kobayashi, S., Y. Karouji, T. Morota, H. Takeda, N. Hasebe, M. Hareyama, M. Kobayashi, E. Shibamura, N. Yamashita, C. d'Uston, O. Gasnault, O. Forni, R.C. Reedy, K.L. Kim, and Y. Ishihara
  • Journal Title: Earth Planet.Sci. Lett. Volume: 337-338 Pages: 10-16
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Massive production of pure anorthosite on the Moon by the giant impact (2012)
  • Author(s): Yamamoto, S., R. Nakamura, T. Matsunaga, Y. Ogawa, Y. Ishihara, T. Morota, N. Hirata, M. Ohtake, T. Hiroi, Y. Yokota, and J. Haruyama
  • Journal Title: Geophys.Res. Lett. Volume: 39 Pages: L13201
  • DOI: DOI:10.1029/2012GL052098
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] 月裏側高地物質サンプルリターン (2012)
  • Author(s): 大竹真紀子, 荒井朋子, 武田弘, 唐牛譲, 佐伯和人, 諸田智克, 小林進悟, 大槻真嗣, 國井康晴
  • Journal Title: 日本惑星科学会誌・遊星人 Volume: 21 Pages: 217-223
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] その場年代計測装置による月惑星年代学探査 (2012)
  • Author(s): 長勇一郎, 諸田智克, 三浦弥生,亀田真吾, 吉岡和夫, 岡崎隆司, 並木則行, 荒井朋子, 小林正規, 石橋高, 大野宗祐, 千秋博紀, 和田浩二, 橘省吾, 渡邊誠一郎, 古本宗充, 本田親寿, 杉原孝充, 石原吉明, 大竹真紀子, 小林直樹, 唐牛譲, 武田弘, 寺田健太郎, 鎌田俊一, 佐伯和人, 小林進悟, 國井康晴, 大槻真嗣, 杉田精司
  • Journal Title: 日本惑星科学会誌・遊星人 Volume: 21 Pages: 267-275
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Compositional evidence for an impact origin of the Moon's Procellarum basin (2012)
  • Author(s): Nakamura, R., S. Yamamoto, T. Matsunaga, Y. Ishihara, T. Morota, T. Hiroi, H. Takeda, Y. Ogawa, Y. Yokota,N. Hirata, M. Ohtake, and K. Saiki
  • Journal Title: Nature Geosci Volume: 5 Pages: 775-778
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Lunar cratering asymmetry: a new insight from the Apollo passive seismic experiment (2011)
  • Author(s): Kawamura, T., T. Morota, N. Kobayashi, and S. Tanaka
  • Journal Title: Geophys. Res. Lett. Volume: 38 Pages: L15201
  • DOI: DOI:10.1029/2011GL048047
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Sublimation's impact on temporal change of albedo dichotomy on Iapetus (2011)
  • Author(s): Kimura, J., T. Kawamura, H. Morito, T. Morota, C. Honda, K. Kuramoto, and T. Okada
  • Journal Title: Icarus Volume: 214 Pages: 596-605
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] The widespread occurrence of high-calcium pyroxene in bright-ray craters on the Moon and implications for lunar-crust composition (2011)
  • Author(s): Ogawa, Y., T. Matsunaga, R. Nakamura, K. Saiki, M. Ohtake, T. Hiroi, H. Takeda, T. Arai, Y. Yokota, S. Yamamoto, N. Hirata, T. Sugihara, S. Sasaki, J. Haruyama, T. Morota, C. Honda, H. Demura, K. Kitazato, J. Terazono, N. Asada
  • Journal Title: Geophys. Res.Lett. Volume: 38 Pages: L17202
  • DOI: DOI:10.1029/2011GL048569
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Lunar photometric properties at wavelengths 0.5 - 1.6 μm acquired by SELENE Spectral Profiler and their dependency on local albedo and latitudinal zones (2011)
  • Author(s): Yokota, Y., T. Matsunaga, M. Ohtake, J. Haruyama, R. Nakamura, S. Yamamoto, Y. Ogawa, T. Morota, C. Honda, K. Saiki, K. Nagasawa, K. Kitazato, S. Sasaki, A. Iwasaki, H. Demura, N. Hirata, T. Hiroi, R. Honda, Y. Iijima, H. Mizutani
  • Journal Title: Icarus Volume: 215 Pages: 639-660
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Prefight and infight calibration of the Spectral Profiler onboard SELENE (Kaguya) (2011)
  • Author(s): Yamamoto, S., T. Matsunaga, Y. Ogawa, R. Nakamura, Y. Yokota, M. Ohtake, J. Haruyama, T. Morota, C. Honda, T. Hiroi, S. Kodama
  • Journal Title: IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens. Volume: 49 Pages: 4660-4676
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] 「かぐや」が切り開く月面年代学 (2011)
  • Author(s): 諸田智克
  • Journal Title: 日本惑星科学会誌・遊星人 Volume: 20 Pages: 324-333
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Presentation] Mare volcanism in Oceanus Procellarum and Mare Imbrium: Timing and characteristics of the latest mare eruption of the Moon (2013)
  • Author(s): Morota, T., S. Kato, J. Haruyama, M. Ohtake, and T. Matsunaga
  • Organizer: SELENE Symposium 2013
  • Place of Presentation: Sagamihara
  • Year and Date: 20130100
• [Presentation] 地球-月系における過去 30億年の天体衝突史とクレータ年代学モデルの修正 (2012)
  • Author(s): 諸田智克, 春山純一, 本田親寿, 大竹真紀子, 平田成, 出村裕英, 山本聡, 松永恒雄, 横田康弘, 中村良介, 石原吉明, 渡邊誠一郎, 古本宗充
  • Organizer: 日本惑星科学会秋季大会
  • Place of Presentation: 神戸
  • Year and Date: 20121001-03
• [Presentation] 月の小クレータを用いたクレータ年代学 (2012)
  • Author(s): 諸田智克, 春山純一, 本田親寿,大竹真紀子, 平田成, 出村裕英, 山本聡, 松永恒雄, 横田康弘, 中村良介, 石原吉明, 渡邊誠一郎, 古本宗充
  • Organizer: 日本地球惑星科学連合 2012 年大会
  • Place of Presentation: 幕張
  • Year and Date: 20120500
• [Presentation] 月面年代学シリーズ探査 (2012)
  • Author(s): 諸田智克, 渡邊誠一郎, 古本宗充, 本田親寿, 杉原孝充, 石原吉明, 大竹真紀子, 小林直樹, 唐牛譲, 荒井朋子, 武田弘, 寺田健太郎, 杉田精司, 鎌田俊一, 長勇一郎, 三浦弥生, 佐伯和人
  • Organizer: 日本地球惑星科学連合 2012年大会
  • Place of Presentation: 幕張
  • Year and Date: 20120500
• [Presentation] 月面年代学から太陽系,地球型惑星の進化を探る (2011)
  • Author(s): 諸田智克
  • Organizer: 日本惑星科学会秋季大会
  • Place of Presentation: 相模原
  • Year and Date: 20111000
• [Presentation] 月の海の火成活動と地殻構造との関係 (2011)
  • Author(s): 諸田智克, 石原吉明, 佐々木晶, ホーセンス・ サンダー, 松本晃治, 野田寛大, 荒木博志, 花田英夫, 田澤誠一, 菊池冬彦, 石川利昭, 鶴田誠逸, 春山純一, 大竹真紀子
  • Organizer: 第44回月・惑星シンポジウム
  • Place of Presentation: 相模原
  • Year and Date: 20110800
• [Presentation] 月の衝突盆地の層序と月初期の衝突史 (2011)
  • Author(s): 諸田智克, 春山純一, 大竹真紀子, 松永恒雄, 山本聡, 石原吉明, 本田親寿, 小林進悟, 横田康弘, 古本宗充, 武田弘
  • Organizer: 日本地球惑星科学連合 2011 年大会
  • Place of Presentation: 幕張
  • Year and Date: 20110500
• [Presentation] 若手の目から見た惑星探査の将来像 (2011)
  • Author(s): 諸田智克, 石原吉明
  • Organizer: 日本地球惑星科学連合 2011 年大会
  • Place of Presentation: 幕張
  • Year and Date: 20110500