The maria formed when basaltic lava flowed into and filled what features?
Answer
Largest impact basins
The geographical structure of the maria is directly tied to pre-existing topography on the Moon. The basaltic lava, originating from internal heating and volcanism, spread out from source vents and flowed into the largest, bowl-shaped impact craters left behind by massive asteroid strikes early in the Moon's history. The subsequent cooling and hardening of this immense volume of lava within these basins is precisely what created the relatively smooth plains designated as the maria. This event represents a secondary resurfacing layer draped over the original, older crust.
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