Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Article
  • Published:

Cometary collisions on the Moon and Mercury

Abstract

Unusual swirl patterns of bright and dark material on the Moon and Mercury are proposed to be remnants of collisions with gas/dust-rich regions within a cometary coma. This interpretation provides important new clues for understanding cometary fine structure, impact effects of low-density material, and the origin of certain pronounced magnetic anomalies.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Shoemaker, F. Impact and Explosion Cratering (eds Roddy, D. J., Pepin, R. O. & Merrill, R. B.) 617–628 (1977).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Wetherill, G. W. The Moon 9, 227–231 (1974).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Öpik, E. J. Adv. Astr. Astrophys. 2, 219–262 (1963).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. El-Baz, F. in Apollo 16 Prelim. Sci. Rep. NASA SP- 315, 29–23 to 29–27 (1972).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Schultz, P. H. Moon Morphology, 420, 423 (1979).

  6. Hood, L. L., Coleman, P. J. Jr & Wilhelms, D. E. Science 204, 53–57 (1979).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Hood, L. L. in Conf. Lunar Highlands Crust, 72–74 (Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, 1979).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Runcorn, S. K. Nature 253, 701–703 (1975).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. Runcorn, S. K. Science 199, 771–773 (1978).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Runcorn, S. K. Nature 275, 414–416 (1978).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Gold, T. & Soter, S. Planet. Space Sci. 24, 45–54 (1976).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. Srnka, L. J. Proc. 8th Lunar Sci. Conf. 785–792 (1977).

  13. McCauley, J. H. Geologic Map of the Hevelius Region of the Moon, (US Geological Survey Inv. Map I-491, 1967).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Thompson, T. W. The Moon 10, 51–85 (1974).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Zisk, S. H., Pettengill, G. H. & Catuna, G. W. The Moon 10, 17–50 (1974).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Shorthill, R. W. The Moon 7, 22–45 (1973).

    Google Scholar 

  17. Schultz, P. H. & Spencer, J. Lunar planet. Sci. 10, 1081–1083 (1979).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  18. Whipple, F. L. in Cosmic Dust (ed. McDonnell, J. A. M.) 1–73 (1978).

    Google Scholar 

  19. Delsemme, A. H. Mem. Soc. R. Sci., Liege 9, 135–145 (1976).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  20. Pieters, C. in Proc. 8th Lunar Sci. Conf. 1037–1048 (1977).

    Google Scholar 

  21. Fuller, M. Rev. Geophys. Space Phys. 12, 23–70 (1974).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  22. Daily, W. D. & Dyal, P. Phys. Earth planet Inter. (in the press).

  23. Mendis, D. A. & Alfvén, H. Nature 248, 36–37 (1974).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  24. Bierman, L. Q. Jl. R. Astr. Soc. 12, 417–432 (1971).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  25. Mendis, D. A. & Ip, W.-H. Space Sci. Rev. 20, 145–190 (197).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Podgorny, I. M., Dubinin, E. M., Pontanin, Yu. N. & Shkolnikova, Astrophys. Space Sci. 61, 369–374 (1979).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  27. Cisowski, S. M., Dunn, J. R., Fuller, M., Rose, M. F. & Wasilewski, P. J. Proc. 5th Lunar Sci. Conf. 3, 284–2858 (1974).

    Google Scholar 

  28. Gault, D. E. in A Primer in Lunar Geology (eds Greeley, R. & Schultz, P.) 137–173 (NASA TM-62, 359, 1974).

    Google Scholar 

  29. Alfvén, H. Tellus 9, 92–103 (1957).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  30. Brandt, J. C. A. Rev. Astr. Astrophys. 6, 267–286 (1968).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Schultz, P., Srnka, L. Cometary collisions on the Moon and Mercury. Nature 284, 22–26 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1038/284022a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/284022a0

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing