Definition
The middle of three systems (of time-stratigraphic units) or periods (the chronologic equivalents to systems) in the Martian stratigraphic scheme, named after the region of Hesperia Planum (Hesperia: “The Occident”; see U.S. Geological Survey Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature). Depending on the different models to determine absolute ages on planetary surfaces by Crater statistics, the Hesperian began ∼3.8 billion years ago and ended at some point between 3.55 and 1.8 billion years ago.
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© 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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Hauber, E. (2011). Hesperian. In: Gargaud, M., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-11274-4_718
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-11274-4_718
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
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