New analysis explains formation of bulge on farside of moon
Thursday, November 11, 2010 - 15:20
in Earth & Climate
(PhysOrg.com) -- A bulge of elevated topography on the farside of the moon--known as the lunar farside highlands--has defied explanation for decades. But a new study led by researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, shows that the highlands may be the result of tidal forces acting early in the moon's history when its solid outer crust floated on an ocean of liquid rock.