Interesting Hypothesis About the Formation of The Moon

[Recusant]

Maybe we'll have to give up the idea of Theia colliding with the primordial Earth, "splashing" off a huge amount of material that eventually resulted in the formation of our Moon.

"Many tiny moons came together to form moon, simulations suggest" | ScienceNews

Image Credit: Nature

The moon is made of moons, new simulations suggest. Instead of a single colossal collision forming Earth's cosmic companion, researchers propose that a series of medium to large impacts created mini moons that eventually coalesced to form one giant moon.

This mini-moon amalgamation explains why the moon has an Earthlike chemical makeup, the researchers propose January 9 in Nature Geoscience.

[Continues . . .]

Abstract from Nature Geoscience:

The hypothesis of lunar origin by a single giant impact can explain some aspects of the Earth–Moon system. However, it is difficult to reconcile giant-impact models with the compositional similarity of the Earth and Moon without violating angular momentum constraints. Furthermore, successful giant-impact scenarios require very specific conditions such that they have a low probability of occurring. Here we present numerical simulations suggesting that the Moon could instead be the product of a succession of a variety of smaller collisions. In this scenario, each collision forms a debris disk around the proto-Earth that then accretes to form a moonlet. The moonlets tidally advance outward, and may coalesce to form the Moon. We find that sub-lunar moonlets are a common result of impacts expected onto the proto-Earth in the early Solar System and find that the planetary rotation is limited by impact angular momentum drain. We conclude that, assuming efficient merger of moonlets, a multiple-impact scenario can account for the formation of the Earth–Moon system with its present properties.

[xSilverPhinx]

Interesting, though I do like the more dramatic idea of violent collision. 

[Arturo]

I'll show you violent collision

Sorry but you are not allowed to view spoiler contents.

[OldGit]

Where did the green cheese come from?

[Ecurb Noselrub]

Does anyone see the Energizer Bunny in the moon instead of a man?

[xSilverPhinx]

I'll show you violent collision

Sorry but you are not allowed to view spoiler contents.

Sorry but you are not allowed to view spoiler contents.

[xSilverPhinx]

Where did the green cheese come from?

Oh, cheese is quite abundant in the Milky Way.

[Bad Penny II]

Where did the green cheese come from?

The obvious explanation would be a mutant star goat.

[xSilverPhinx]

Does anyone see the Energizer Bunny in the moon instead of a man?

I see a little teddy bear:

[Dave]

Looks more like one of the early ultrasound scans of a well developed fetus - only in negative - to me.

[joeactor]

The moon is made of moons? Of course! The earth is made of earth too...

[Recusant]

The moon is made of moons? Of course! The earth is made of earth too...

I think you win that round, joeactor.

[Arturo]

I'll show you violent collision

Sorry but you are not allowed to view spoiler contents.

Sorry but you are not allowed to view spoiler contents.

Sorry but you are not allowed to view spoiler contents.

[xSilverPhinx]

I'll show you violent collision

Sorry but you are not allowed to view spoiler contents.

Sorry but you are not allowed to view spoiler contents.

Sorry but you are not allowed to view spoiler contents.

Sorry but you are not allowed to view spoiler contents.