What geological features provide evidence that the Moon's crust was actively deforming within the last billion years?
Answer
Wrinkle ridges
Wrinkle ridges are key indicators of ongoing, albeit slow, tectonic activity on the Moon. These features are described as compressional thrust faults, meaning they are cracks and folds that form in the surface crust due to the overall slow shrinking of the satellite as its interior cools down. High-resolution imagery captured by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has revealed that many of these wrinkle ridges appear remarkably fresh. Geologists estimate that the most recent formations of these tectonic features occurred within the last billion years, proving that the internal stresses causing contraction have not fully diminished.
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