Reassessing late-stage impact assumptions in light of modern planet formation paradigms

In this Perspective, we examine the implications of modern cold-accretion and disk-mediated paradigms for two widely cited impact hypotheses: the Moon-forming giant impact and the Late Heavy Bombardment, with attention to consequences for planetary thermal histories and early habitability. Rather than seeking to invalidate these hypotheses, we aim to assess the extent to which their underlying assumptions remain compatible with evolving formation paradigms. Particular attention is given to the consequences for planetary thermal histories, crustal stability, volatile retention, and early habitability. We further outline observational and theoretical constraints that may help distinguish between competing formation–impact scenarios as planetary science continues to develop.

• Publication year

  2026

• Venue

  Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences

• Publication date

  2026-02-19

• Fields of study

  Not labeled

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.3389/fspas.2026.1777086
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

• Constraints on the impactor flux to the Earth-Moon system from oxygen isotopes of the lunar regolith.

  2026cited by this paper
• The origin of the oldest solid objects in the Solar System

  2025cited by this paper
• Refractory solid condensation detected in an embedded protoplanetary disk

  2025cited by this paper
• Observationally derived magnetic field strength and 3D components in the HD 142527 disk

  2025cited by this paper
• Observation of Nonaxisymmetric Standard Magnetorotational Instability Induced by a Free-Shear Layer.

  2024cited by this paper
• Evidence suggesting that earth had a ring in the Ordovician

  2024cited by this paper
• The source of hydrogen in earth's building blocks

  2024cited by this paper
• Forming Earth-like and low-mass rocky exoplanets through pebble and planetesimal accretion

  2024cited by this paper
• Comment on"Did the terrestrial planets of the Solar System form by pebble accretion?"

  2024cited by this paper
• Sodium carbonates on Ryugu as evidence of highly saline water in the outer Solar System

  2024cited by this paper
• Silicon isotope constraints on terrestrial planet accretion

  2023cited by this paper
• Krypton in the Chassigny meteorite shows Mars accreted chondritic volatiles before nebular gases

  2022cited by this paper
• Catalytic Synthesis of Polyribonucleic Acid on Prebiotic Rock Glasses

  2022cited by this paper
• Detection of Irregular, Submillimeter Opaque Structures in the Orion Molecular Clouds: Protostars within 10,000 yr of Formation?

  2020cited by this paper
• The geology and geophysics of Kuiper Belt object (486958) Arrokoth

  2020cited by this paper
• A deep dive into the abyss

  2020cited by this paper
• Global Simulations of Self-gravitating Magnetized Protoplanetary Disks

  2020cited by this paper
• The VLA/ALMA Nascent Disk and Multiplicity (VANDAM) Survey of Orion Protostars. II. A Statistical Characterization of Class 0 and Class I Protostellar Disks

  2020cited by this paper
• Iron isotope evidence for very rapid accretion and differentiation of the proto-Earth

  2019cited by this paper
• How the moon landings changed our view of the solar system

  2019cited by this paper
• Electrical charging overcomes the bouncing barrier in planet formation

  2019cited by this paper
• The Disk Substructures at High Angular Resolution Project (DSHARP). V. Interpreting ALMA Maps of Protoplanetary Disks in Terms of a Dust Model

  2018cited by this paper
• The Disk Substructures at High Angular Resolution Project (DSHARP). VI. Dust Trapping in Thin-ringed Protoplanetary Disks

  2018cited by this paper
• The Disk Substructures at High Angular Resolution Project (DSHARP). I. Motivation, Sample, Calibration, and Overview

  2018cited by this paper
• The Disk Substructures at High Angular Resolution Project (DSHARP). X. Multiple Rings, a Misaligned Inner Disk, and a Bright Arc in the Disk around the T Tauri star HD 143006

  2018cited by this paper
• The Disk Substructures at High Angular Resolution Project (DSHARP). VII. The Planet–Disk Interactions Interpretation

  2018cited by this paper
• The Disk Substructures at High Angular Resolution Project (DSHARP). II. Characteristics of Annular Substructures

  2018influential reference
• The Late Heavy Bombardment

  2017influential reference
• Forming Planets via Pebble Accretion

  2017cited by this paper
• Illusory Late Heavy Bombardments

  2016cited by this paper
• A primordial origin for the compositional similarity between the Earth and the Moon

  2015cited by this paper
• Evidence for primordial water in Earth’s deep mantle

  2015cited by this paper
• Making the Moon from a Fast-Spinning Earth: A Giant Impact Followed by Resonant Despinning

  2012cited by this paper
• Forming a Moon with an Earth-like Composition via a Giant Impact

  2012cited by this paper
• Volatile content of lunar volcanic glasses and the presence of water in the Moon’s interior

  2008cited by this paper
• Prions and their partners in crime

  2006cited by this paper
• Simulations of a late lunar-forming impact

  2004cited by this paper
• The case for an Imbrium origin of the Apollo thorium‐rich impact‐melt breccias

  1998influential reference
• Oligarchic growth of protoplanets

  1996cited by this paper
• Accumulation of the Terrestrial Planets

  1985cited by this paper
• Satellite-Sized Planetesimals and Lunar Origin

  1975cited by this paper
• The Planets: Their Origin and Development

  1952cited by this paper

• No citing papers are available for this paper.