What is the implied age characteristic for the Maria, described as smoother, darker plains on the Moon?
Answer
Younger surfaces resulting from volcanic resurfacing over impacts
The descriptive table provided outlines how different regions of the Moon reveal distinct ages based on their surface characteristics. The Maria, identified visually as smoother and darker plains, are categorized as being of younger surface age. This youthfulness relative to the highlands is attributed to volcanic resurfacing events occurring later in the Moon's history. These volcanic flows effectively covered or partially obscured the older, heavily cratered impact scars that characterize the much older highlands regions.
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