Isotopic evidence for a terminal lunar cataclysm

Most highland total rock samples define a single U-Pb isochron which corresponds to a metamorphism age of about 3.9 aeons. This age is also obtained for internal U-Pb isochrons for some of these samples. The data on 18 rock samples range from concordant samples with U-238/Pb-206 ratio of about 1.2 to discordant ones with U-238/Pb-206 ratio of about 0.02. This feature, coupled with a correlated pattern of U-238/Pb-204 ratios, indicates that Pb was extensively mobilized at about 3.9 aeons. The observed Pb-U fractionation is essentially due to Pb volatilization during the metamorphic events. Volatile Pb transport is not accompanied by similar effects in Rb and must therefore be attributed to a specific process. Rb-Sr internal isochrons for the same rocks determine distinct metamorphic events in the interval 3.85 to 4.00 aeons. It is concluded that highland samples from widely separated areas bear the imprint of an event or series of events in a narrow time interval which can be identified with a cataclysmic impacting rate of the moon at about 3.9 aeons, although diffrentiation by internal magma generation cannot be excluded.