In research by John Meyer and Brian Rowan, what aspects of a bureaucracy were often found to be ceremonial or ritual, serving mainly to justify the way things are really done?

formal procedures

Explanation:

Based on the information provided within the question it can be said that the aspect that is being described is known as formal procedures. Like mentioned in the question this term refers to pre-set way of performing a certain event. Which is used mainly in a governments justice department to demonstrate the way that something is meant to be handled.

giant impact theory - the moon was formed from the collision between earth and another mars-sized body.

colliding planetesimals hypothesis - the moon was formed from the same cloud of material as earth.

capture hypothesis - the moon was locked into orbit by earths gravity as it was passing by it.

accretion hypothesis - the moon was formed from collisions and combining of planetesimals.

i think this is right, if not and you know better let me know.