Interplanetary Correlation of Geologic Time: ABSTRACT

Abstract

Asteroid impact has produced a significant number of medium and large craters on the earth in comparatively recent geologic time, and the rate of impact can be interpreted to have remained fairly steady for at least the last half-billion years. By extrapolation of this rate, the age of major stratigraphic units on the moon may be estimated from the number and distribution of superimposed primary impact craters. With appropriate modification, the same principle should be applicable to Mars when detailed photographs become available for photogeologic mapping.