LATE HEAVY BOMBARDMENT Meaning and
Definition
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The Late Heavy Bombardment, also known as the lunar cataclysm, refers to a hypothesized intense period of cosmic bombardment in the early solar system. Occurring approximately 4.1 to 3.8 billion years ago, this event marked a time of exceptionally high rates of impact cratering on the Moon and inner planets, including Earth. The Late Heavy Bombardment is thought to have resulted from a sudden influx of asteroids, comets, and other celestial bodies into the inner solar system, causing a substantial increase in the frequency of high-velocity collisions.
During this tumultuous period, numerous large impact craters were formed as a result of the asteroid or comet impacts. These collisions had significant geological effects, altering the surfaces of planets and moons, including the Moon's basaltic plains. The Late Heavy Bombardment is believed to have played a pivotal role in shaping the early evolution and geology of the inner solar system, affecting the subsequent environment in which life may have originated.
The Late Heavy Bombardment theory was proposed to explain the relatively young age of lunar basins and widespread evidence of impact cratering on rocky bodies. It suggests that the solar system experienced a phase of remarkable instability and that this event represents a fundamental period in planetary history. While some aspects of this hypothesis are still debated among scientists, the Late Heavy Bombardment theory has significantly contributed to our understanding of the early solar system and its dynamic nature.
