Surface history of lunar soil and soil columns

Measurements of cosmic ray track densities are presented for soil samples from Apollo 15, 16 and 17. Median track densities are used to infer total effective exposure times within ~15 cm of the lunar surface. Minimum track densities are used to derive the time of the last impact-produced rearrangement of soil grains. For samples from near various craters ages are derived of 40 m.y. for St. George, 6 (±3) m.y. for S. Ray, 25–90 m.y. for Plum, and 20–35 m.y. for Shorty. The material of 15003. the Apollo 15 deep core at depths of 120–160 cm, is inferred to have been deposited at an average rate of ≥0.35 cm/m.y. The Apollo 16 core at 41–47 cm depths. 60007, appears to be well mixed and was covered up by deposition at 0.3 cm/m.y. for the next few m.y. after its deposition.