1
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Xu JY, Li QL, Lu K, Li XH. Chang'e-5 basalt-like non-KREEP young lunar meteorite. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2024; 69:601-605. [PMID: 38171964 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2023.12.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Yao Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China; Key Laboratory of Metallogenic Prediction of Nonferrous Metals and Geological Environment Monitoring (Ministry of Education), School of Geosciences and Info-Physics, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
| | - Qiu-Li Li
- State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China; College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Kai Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Xian-Hua Li
- State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China; College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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2
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Yu S, Xiao X, Gong S, Tosi N, Huang J, Breuer D, Xiao L, Ni D. Long-lived lunar volcanism sustained by precession-driven core-mantle friction. Natl Sci Rev 2024; 11:nwad276. [PMID: 38213526 PMCID: PMC10776352 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwad276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Core-mantle friction induced by the precession of the Moon's spin axis is a strong heat source in the deep lunar mantle during the early phase of a satellite's evolution, but its influence on the long-term thermal evolution still remains poorly explored. Using a one-dimensional thermal evolution model, we show that core-mantle friction can sustain global-scale partial melting in the upper lunar mantle until ∼3.1 Ga, thus accounting for the intense volcanic activity on the Moon before ∼3.0 Ga. Besides, core-mantle friction tends to suppress the secular cooling of the lunar core and is unlikely to be an energy source for the long-lived lunar core dynamo. Our model also favours the transition of the Cassini state before the end of the lunar magma ocean phase (∼4.2 Ga), which implies a decreasing lunar obliquity over time after the solidification of the lunar magma ocean. Such a trend of lunar obliquity evolution may allow volcanically released water to be buried in the lunar regolith of the polar regions. As a consequence, local water ice could be more abundant than previously thought when considering only its accumulation caused by solar wind and comet spreading.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuoran Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau 999078, China
| | - Xiao Xiao
- Planetary Science Institute, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Shengxia Gong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Planetary Sciences, Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Nicola Tosi
- Institute of Planetary Research, German Aerospace Centre (DLR), Berlin 12489, Germany
| | - Jun Huang
- Planetary Science Institute, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Doris Breuer
- Institute of Planetary Research, German Aerospace Centre (DLR), Berlin 12489, Germany
| | - Long Xiao
- Planetary Science Institute, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Dongdong Ni
- State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau 999078, China
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3
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Prissel TC, Zhang N, Jackson CRM, Li H. Rapid transition from primary to secondary crust building on the Moon explained by mantle overturn. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5002. [PMID: 37591857 PMCID: PMC10435462 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40751-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Geochronology indicates a rapid transition (tens of Myrs) from primary to secondary crust building on the Moon. The processes responsible for initiating secondary magmatism, however, remain in debate. Here we test the hypothesis that the earliest secondary crust (Mg-suite) formed as a direct consequence of density-driven mantle overturn, and advance 3D mantle convection models to quantify the resulting extent of lower mantle melting. Our modeling demonstrates that overturn of thin ilmenite-bearing cumulates ≤ 100 km triggers a rapid and short-lived episode of lower mantle melting which explains the key volume, geochronological, and spatial characteristics of early secondary crust building without contributions from other energy sources, namely KREEP (potassium, rare earth elements, phosphorus, radiogenic U, Th). Observations of globally distributed Mg-suite eliminate degree-1 overturn scenarios. We propose that gravitational instabilities in magma ocean cumulate piles are major driving forces for the onset of mantle convection and secondary crust building on differentiated bodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tabb C Prissel
- NASA Johnson Space Center, Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, 2101 NASA Parkway, MailCode XI3, Houston, TX, 77058, USA.
| | - Nan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Orogenic Belts and Crustal Evolution, School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
- School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Bentley, WA, 6845, Australia.
| | - Colin R M Jackson
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Tulane University, 6823 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA, 70118-5698, USA
| | - Haoyuan Li
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
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4
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Srivastava Y, Basu Sarbadhikari A, Day JMD, Yamaguchi A, Takenouchi A. A changing thermal regime revealed from shallow to deep basalt source melting in the Moon. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7594. [PMID: 36494367 PMCID: PMC9734159 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35260-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sample return missions have provided the basis for understanding the thermochemical evolution of the Moon. Mare basalt sources are likely to have originated from partial melting of lunar magma ocean cumulates after solidification from an initially molten state. Some of the Apollo mare basalts show evidence for the presence in their source of a late-stage radiogenic heat-producing incompatible element-rich layer, known for its enrichment in potassium, rare-earth elements, and phosphorus (KREEP). Here we show the most depleted lunar meteorite, Asuka-881757, and associated mare basalts, represent ancient (~3.9 Ga) partial melts of KREEP-free Fe-rich mantle. Petrological modeling demonstrates that these basalts were generated at lower temperatures and shallower depths than typical Apollo mare basalts. Calculated mantle potential temperatures of these rocks suggest a relatively cooler mantle source and lower surface heat flow than those associated with later-erupted mare basalts, suggesting a fundamental shift in melting regime in the Moon from ~3.9 to ~3.3 Ga.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yash Srivastava
- Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, 380009, India
- Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gujarat, 382355, India
| | | | - James M D Day
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0244, USA
| | - Akira Yamaguchi
- National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR), Tokyo, 190-8518, Japan
| | - Atsushi Takenouchi
- National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR), Tokyo, 190-8518, Japan
- The Kyoto University Museum, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
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5
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Su B, Yuan J, Chen Y, Yang W, Mitchell RN, Hui H, Wang H, Tian H, Li XH, Wu FY. Fusible mantle cumulates trigger young mare volcanism on the cooling Moon. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabn2103. [PMID: 36269823 PMCID: PMC9586486 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn2103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The Chang'E-5 (CE5) mission has demonstrated that lunar volcanism was still active until two billion years ago, much younger than the previous isotopically dated lunar basalts. How the small Moon retained enough heat to drive such late volcanism is unknown, particularly as the CE5 mantle source was anhydrous and depleted in heat-producing elements. We conduct fractional crystallization and mantle melting simulations that show that mantle melting point depression by the presence of fusible, easily melted components could trigger young volcanism. Enriched in calcium oxide and titanium dioxide compared to older Apollo magmas, the young CE5 magma was, thus, sourced from the overturn of the late-stage fusible cumulates of the lunar magma ocean. Mantle melting point depression is the first mechanism to account for young volcanism on the Moon that is consistent with the newly returned CE5 basalts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Su
- State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Jiangyan Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Yi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Wei Yang
- Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Ross N. Mitchell
- State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Hejiu Hui
- State Key Laboratory of Mineral Deposits Research and Lunar and Planetary Science Institute, School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Comparative Planetology, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Hao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Hengci Tian
- Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Xian-Hua Li
- State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Fu-Yuan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
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6
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Lunar Mare Fecunditatis: A Science-Rich Region and a Concept Mission for Long-Distance Exploration. REMOTE SENSING 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/rs14051062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Mare Fecunditatis is a ~310,000 km2 flat basalt plain located in the low-latitude area of the Moon. Plenty of volcanic features (multiple episodes of mare basalts, sinuous rilles, lava tubes, pyroclastic deposits, domes, irregular mare patches (IMP), ring-moat dome structures (RMDS), floor-fractured craters), tectonic features (grabens and wrinkle ridges), impact-related features, and other features (swirls, pit craters) are identified in Mare Fecunditatis. An in-situ mission to Mare Fecunditatis is scientifically significant to better understand the lunar thermal histories and other questions. All previous in-situ and human missions (Apollo, Luna, Chang’E) were limited to small areas, and no traverse longer than 40 km has been made yet. With the development of technology, long-distance movement will be possible in the future on the lunar surface, providing opportunities to explore multiple sites at one mission with complete documentation of the regional geology. Eight high-value targets (pit crater, IMPs, RMDSs, young basalts, high-Al basalts, pyroclastic deposits, swirls, and fresh craters) were found in Mare Fecunditatis, and a ~1400 km-traverse in 5 years is proposed to explore them to solve the most fundamental lunar questions.
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7
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Michaut C, Neufeld JA. Formation of the Lunar Primary Crust From a Long-Lived Slushy Magma Ocean. GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS 2022; 49:e2021GL095408. [PMID: 35865331 PMCID: PMC9286579 DOI: 10.1029/2021gl095408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Classical fractional crystallization scenarios of early lunar evolution suggest crustal formation by the flotation of light anorthite minerals from a liquid magma ocean. However, this model is challenged by the> 200 Myr age range of primitive ferroan anorthosites, their concordance with Mg-suite magmatism and by the compositional diversity observed in lunar anorthosites. Here, we propose a new model of slushy magma ocean crystallization in which crystals remain suspended in the lunar interior and crust formation only begins once a critical crystal content is reached. Thereafter crustal formation occurs by buoyant melt extraction and magmatism. The mixture viscosity strongly depends on temperature and solid fraction driving the development of a surface stagnant lid where enhanced solidification and buoyant ascent of melt lead to an anorthite-enriched crust. This model explains lunar anorthosites heterogeneity and suggests a crustal formation timescale of 100s Ma, reconciling anorthosite ages with an early age of the Moon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloé Michaut
- Ecole Normale Supérieure de LyonUniversité de LyonUniversité Claude Bernard Lyon 1Laboratoire de Géologie de Lyon, Terre, Planètes, EnvironnementLyonFrance
- Institut Universitaire de FranceParisFrance
| | - Jerome A. Neufeld
- Centre for Environmental and Industrial FlowsUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Department of Earth SciencesUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical PhysicsUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
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8
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Abstract
From the 2000s onwards, unprecedented space missions have brought about a wealth of novel investigations on the different aspects of space geomechanics. Such aspects are related to the exploratory activities such as drilling, sampling, coring, water extraction, anchoring, etc. So far, a whole range of constitutive research projects on the plate tectonics, morphology, volcanic activities and volatile content of planetary bodies have been implemented. Furthermore, various laboratory experiments on extraterrestrial samples and their artificial terrestrial simulants are continually conducted to obtain the physical and mechanical properties of the corresponding specimens. Today, with the space boom being steered by diverse space agencies, the incorporation of geomechanics into space exploration appreciably appears much needed. The primary objective of this article is to collate and integrate the up-to-date investigations related to the geomechanical applications in space technologies. Emphasis is given to the new and future applications such as planetary drilling and water extraction. The main impetus is to provide a comprehensive reference for geoscience scientists and astronauts to quickly become acquainted with the cutting-edge advancements in the area of space geomechanics. Moreover, this research study also elaborates on the operational constraints in space geomechanics which necessitate further scientific investigations.
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9
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Tian HC, Wang H, Chen Y, Yang W, Zhou Q, Zhang C, Lin HL, Huang C, Wu ST, Jia LH, Xu L, Zhang D, Li XG, Chang R, Yang YH, Xie LW, Zhang DP, Zhang GL, Yang SH, Wu FY. Non-KREEP origin for Chang'e-5 basalts in the Procellarum KREEP Terrane. Nature 2021; 600:59-63. [PMID: 34666339 PMCID: PMC8636255 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-04119-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Mare volcanics on the Moon are the key record of thermo-chemical evolution throughout most of lunar history1–3. Young mare basalts—mainly distributed in a region rich in potassium, rare-earth elements and phosphorus (KREEP) in Oceanus Procellarum, called the Procellarum KREEP Terrane (PKT)4—were thought to be formed from KREEP-rich sources at depth5–7. However, this hypothesis has not been tested with young basalts from the PKT. Here we present a petrological and geochemical study of the basalt clasts from the PKT returned by the Chang’e-5 mission8. These two-billion-year-old basalts are the youngest lunar samples reported so far9. Bulk rock compositions have moderate titanium and high iron contents with KREEP-like rare-earth-element and high thorium concentrations. However, strontium–neodymium isotopes indicate that these basalts were derived from a non-KREEP mantle source. To produce the high abundances of rare-earth elements and thorium, low-degree partial melting and extensive fractional crystallization are required. Our results indicate that the KREEP association may not be a prerequisite for young mare volcanism. Absolving the need to invoke heat-producing elements in their source implies a more sustained cooling history of the lunar interior to generate the Moon’s youngest melts. Isotopic analysis of basalt clasts returned from the Moon by the Chang’e-5 mission indicates that the rocks were derived from a mantle source that lacked potassium, rare-earth elements and phosphorus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng-Ci Tian
- Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Yang
- Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Qin Zhou
- National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hong-Lei Lin
- Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chao Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shi-Tou Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Li-Hui Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Di Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Guang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Rui Chang
- Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yue-Heng Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lie-Wen Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Dan-Ping Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Guang-Liang Zhang
- National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Sai-Hong Yang
- National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fu-Yuan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Li C, Hu H, Yang MF, Pei ZY, Zhou Q, Ren X, Liu B, Liu D, Zeng X, Zhang G, Zhang H, Liu J, Wang Q, Deng X, Xiao C, Yao Y, Xue D, Zuo W, Su Y, Wen W, Ouyang Z. Characteristics of the lunar samples returned by the Chang’E-5 mission. Natl Sci Rev 2021; 9:nwab188. [PMID: 35382442 PMCID: PMC8974359 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwab188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Forty-five years after the Apollo and Luna missions returned lunar samples, China's Chang’E-5 (CE-5) mission collected new samples from the mid-latitude region in the northeastern Oceanus Procellarum of the Moon. Our study shows that 95% of CE-5 lunar soil sizes are found to be within the range of 1.40–9.35 μm, while 95% of the soils by mass are within the size range of 4.84–432.27 μm. The bulk density, true density and specific surface area of CE-5 soils are 1.2387 g/cm3, 3.1952 g/cm3 and 0.56 m2/g, respectively. Fragments from the CE-5 regolith are classified into igneous clasts (mostly basalt), agglutinate and glass. A few breccias were also found. The minerals and compositions of CE-5 soils are consistent with mare basalts and can be classified as low-Ti/low-Al/low-K type with lower rare-earth-element contents than materials rich in potassium, rare earth element and phosphorus. CE-5 soils have high FeO and low Mg index, which could represent a new class of basalt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunlai Li
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Hao Hu
- Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering Center, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Meng-Fei Yang
- Beijing Institute of Spacecraft System Engineering, Beijing 100094, China
| | - Zhao-Yu Pei
- Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering Center, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Qin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xin Ren
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Bin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Dawei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xingguo Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Guangliang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Hongbo Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Jianjun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Qiong Wang
- Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering Center, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Xiangjin Deng
- Beijing Institute of Spacecraft System Engineering, Beijing 100094, China
| | - Caijin Xiao
- Department of Nuclear Physics, China Institute of Atomic Energy, Beijing 102413, China
| | - Yonggang Yao
- Department of Nuclear Physics, China Institute of Atomic Energy, Beijing 102413, China
| | - Dingshuai Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Wei Zuo
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yan Su
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Weibin Wen
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Ziyuan Ouyang
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
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11
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Large impact cratering during lunar magma ocean solidification. Nat Commun 2021; 12:5433. [PMID: 34521860 PMCID: PMC8440705 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25818-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The lunar cratering record is used to constrain the bombardment history of both the Earth and the Moon. However, it is suggested from different perspectives, including impact crater dating, asteroid dynamics, lunar samples, impact basin-forming simulations, and lunar evolution modelling, that the Moon could be missing evidence of its earliest cratering record. Here we report that impact basins formed during the lunar magma ocean solidification should have produced different crater morphologies in comparison to later epochs. A low viscosity layer, mimicking a melt layer, between the crust and mantle could cause the entire impact basin size range to be susceptible to immediate and extreme crustal relaxation forming almost unidentifiable topographic and crustal thickness signatures. Lunar basins formed while the lunar magma ocean was still solidifying may escape detection, which is agreeing with studies that suggest a higher impact flux than previously thought in the earliest epoch of Earth-Moon evolution.
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12
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Abstract
The Moon has a magmatic and thermal history that is distinct from that of the terrestrial planets1. Radioisotope dating of lunar samples suggests that most lunar basaltic magmatism ceased by around 2.9-2.8 billion years ago (Ga)2,3, although younger basalts between 3 Ga and 1 Ga have been suggested by crater-counting chronology, which has large uncertainties owing to the lack of returned samples for calibration4,5. Here we report a precise lead-lead age of 2,030 ± 4 million years ago for basalt clasts returned by the Chang'e-5 mission, and a 238U/204Pb ratio (µ value)6 of about 680 for a source that evolved through two stages of differentiation. This is the youngest crystallization age reported so far for lunar basalts by radiometric dating, extending the duration of lunar volcanism by approximately 800-900 million years. The µ value of the Chang'e-5 basalt mantle source is within the range of low-titanium and high-titanium basalts from Apollo sites (µ value of about 300-1,000), but notably lower than those of potassium, rare-earth elements and phosphorus (KREEP) and high-aluminium basalts7 (µ value of about 2,600-3,700), indicating that the Chang'e-5 basalts were produced by melting of a KREEP-poor source. This age provides a pivotal calibration point for crater-counting chronology in the inner Solar System and provides insight on the volcanic and thermal history of the Moon.
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13
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Cockell CS, Santomartino R, Finster K, Waajen AC, Eades LJ, Moeller R, Rettberg P, Fuchs FM, Van Houdt R, Leys N, Coninx I, Hatton J, Parmitano L, Krause J, Koehler A, Caplin N, Zuijderduijn L, Mariani A, Pellari SS, Carubia F, Luciani G, Balsamo M, Zolesi V, Nicholson N, Loudon CM, Doswald-Winkler J, Herová M, Rattenbacher B, Wadsworth J, Craig Everroad R, Demets R. Space station biomining experiment demonstrates rare earth element extraction in microgravity and Mars gravity. Nat Commun 2020; 11:5523. [PMID: 33173035 PMCID: PMC7656455 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19276-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Microorganisms are employed to mine economically important elements from rocks, including the rare earth elements (REEs), used in electronic industries and alloy production. We carried out a mining experiment on the International Space Station to test hypotheses on the bioleaching of REEs from basaltic rock in microgravity and simulated Mars and Earth gravities using three microorganisms and a purposely designed biomining reactor. Sphingomonas desiccabilis enhanced mean leached concentrations of REEs compared to non-biological controls in all gravity conditions. No significant difference in final yields was observed between gravity conditions, showing the efficacy of the process under different gravity regimens. Bacillus subtilis exhibited a reduction in bioleaching efficacy and Cupriavidus metallidurans showed no difference compared to non-biological controls, showing the microbial specificity of the process, as on Earth. These data demonstrate the potential for space biomining and the principles of a reactor to advance human industry and mining beyond Earth. Rare earth elements are used in electronics, but increase in demand could lead to low supply. Here the authors conduct experiments on the International Space Station and show microbes can extract rare elements from rocks at low gravity, a finding that could extend mining potential to other planets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles S Cockell
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
| | - Rosa Santomartino
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Kai Finster
- Department of Bioscience-Microbiology, Ny Munkegade 116, Building 1540, 129, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Annemiek C Waajen
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Lorna J Eades
- School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Ralf Moeller
- Radiation Biology Department, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Linder Hoehe, Köln, Germany
| | - Petra Rettberg
- Radiation Biology Department, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Linder Hoehe, Köln, Germany
| | - Felix M Fuchs
- Radiation Biology Department, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Linder Hoehe, Köln, Germany.,Institute of Electrical Engineering and Plasma Technology, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Sciences, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Rob Van Houdt
- Microbiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK CEN, Mol, Belgium
| | - Natalie Leys
- Microbiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK CEN, Mol, Belgium
| | - Ilse Coninx
- Microbiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK CEN, Mol, Belgium
| | - Jason Hatton
- ESTEC, Keplerlaan 1, 2201 AZ, Noordwijk, Netherlands
| | | | - Jutta Krause
- ESTEC, Keplerlaan 1, 2201 AZ, Noordwijk, Netherlands
| | | | - Nicol Caplin
- ESTEC, Keplerlaan 1, 2201 AZ, Noordwijk, Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Fabrizio Carubia
- Kayser Italia S.r.l., Via di Popogna, 501, 57128, Livorno, Italy
| | - Giacomo Luciani
- Kayser Italia S.r.l., Via di Popogna, 501, 57128, Livorno, Italy
| | - Michele Balsamo
- Kayser Italia S.r.l., Via di Popogna, 501, 57128, Livorno, Italy
| | - Valfredo Zolesi
- Kayser Italia S.r.l., Via di Popogna, 501, 57128, Livorno, Italy
| | - Natasha Nicholson
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Claire-Marie Loudon
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jeannine Doswald-Winkler
- BIOTESC, Hochschule Luzern Technik & Architektur, Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture, Obermattweg 9, 6052, Hergiswil, Switzerland
| | - Magdalena Herová
- BIOTESC, Hochschule Luzern Technik & Architektur, Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture, Obermattweg 9, 6052, Hergiswil, Switzerland
| | - Bernd Rattenbacher
- BIOTESC, Hochschule Luzern Technik & Architektur, Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture, Obermattweg 9, 6052, Hergiswil, Switzerland
| | | | - R Craig Everroad
- Exobiology Branch, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA
| | - René Demets
- ESTEC, Keplerlaan 1, 2201 AZ, Noordwijk, Netherlands
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14
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Thermophysical Features of the Rümker Region in Northern Oceanus Procellarum: Insights from CE-2 CELMS Data. REMOTE SENSING 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/rs12193272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The Rümker region is located in the northern Oceanus Procellarum, which has been selected as the landing and sampling region for China’s Chang’e-5 (CE-5) mission. The thermophysical features of the mare units are studied in detail using the brightness temperature (TB) maps (TB, normalized TB, TB difference) derived from the CE-2 microwave radiometer data. The previously interpreted geological boundaries of the Rümker region are revisited in this study according to their TB behaviors: IR1, IR2, and IR3 Rümker plateau units are combined into one single unit (IR); and a hidden unit is found on the Mons Rümker; Mare basaltic units Im1 and Em1 are combined into Em1; and Em2 is more likely the extending of Im2. Each of the previous proposed landing sites and their scientific value are summarized and reevaluated. Based on this, four landing sites are recommended in order to maximize the scientific outcome of the CE-5 mission. We suggest that the Eratosthenian-aged Em4 and Em1 units as the top priority landing site for the CE-5 mission; the age-dating results will provide important clues concerning the thermal evolution of the Moon.
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15
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Lai J, Xu Y, Bugiolacchi R, Meng X, Xiao L, Xie M, Liu B, Di K, Zhang X, Zhou B, Shen S, Xu L. First look by the Yutu-2 rover at the deep subsurface structure at the lunar farside. Nat Commun 2020; 11:3426. [PMID: 32647265 PMCID: PMC7347897 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17262-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The unequal distribution of volcanic products between the Earth-facing lunar side and the farside is the result of a complex thermal history. To help unravel the dichotomy, for the first time a lunar landing mission (Chang'e-4, CE-4) has targeted the Moon's farside landing on the floor of Von Kármán crater (VK) inside the South Pole-Aitken (SPA). We present the first deep subsurface stratigraphic structure based on data collected by the ground-penetrating radar (GPR) onboard the Yutu-2 rover during the initial nine months exploration phase. The radargram reveals several strata interfaces beneath the surveying path: buried ejecta is overlaid by at least four layers of distinct lava flows that probably occurred during the Imbrium Epoch, with thicknesses ranging from 12 m up to about 100 m, providing direct evidence of multiple lava-infilling events that occurred within the VK crater. The average loss tangent of mare basalts is estimated at 0.0040-0.0061.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jialong Lai
- State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
- School of Science, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou, China
| | - Yi Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China.
| | - Roberto Bugiolacchi
- State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
- University College London, Earth Sciences, London, UK
| | - Xu Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
- School of Civil Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Long Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
- Planetary Science Institute, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Minggang Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
- College of Science, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, China
| | - Bin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China
| | - Kaichang Di
- State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoping Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
| | - Bin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Electromagnetic Radiation and Detection Techonology, Chinese Academy of Sceience, Beijing, China
- Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China
| | - Shaoxiang Shen
- Key Laboratory of Electromagnetic Radiation and Detection Techonology, Chinese Academy of Sceience, Beijing, China
- Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China
| | - Luyuan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
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16
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Runyon KD, Moriarty DP, Denevi BW, Greenhagen BT, Morgan G, Young KE, Cohen BA, van der Bogert CH, Hiesinger H, Jozwiak LM. Impact Melt Facies in the Moon's Crisium Basin: Identifying, Characterizing, and Future Radiogenic Dating. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH. PLANETS 2020; 125:e2019JE006024. [PMID: 32714725 PMCID: PMC7375055 DOI: 10.1029/2019je006024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Both Earth and the Moon share a common history regarding the epoch of large basin formation, though only the lunar geologic record preserves any appreciable record of this Late Heavy Bombardment. The emergence of Earth's first life is approximately contemporaneous with the Late Heavy Bombardment; understanding the latter informs the environmental conditions of the former, which are likely necessary to constrain the mechanisms of abiogenesis. While the relative formation time of most of the Moon's large basins is known, the absolute timing is not. The timing of Crisium Basin's formation is one of many important events that must be constrained and would require identifying and dating impact melt formed in the Crisium event. To inform a future lunar sample dating mission, we thus characterized possible outcrops of impact melt. We determined that several mare lava-embayed kipukas could contain impact melt, though the rim and central peaks of the partially lava-flooded Yerkes Crater likely contain the most pure and intact Crisium impact melt. It is here where future robotic and/or human missions could confidently add a key missing piece to the puzzle of the combined issues of early Earth-Moon bombardment and the emergence of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- K. D. Runyon
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics LaboratoryLaurelMDUSA
| | | | - B. W. Denevi
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics LaboratoryLaurelMDUSA
| | - B. T. Greenhagen
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics LaboratoryLaurelMDUSA
| | - G. Morgan
- Planetary Science InstituteTucsonAZUSA
| | - K. E. Young
- NASA Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbeltMDUSA
| | - B. A. Cohen
- NASA Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbeltMDUSA
| | | | - H. Hiesinger
- Institut für PlanetologieUniversity of MünsterMünsterGermany
| | - L. M. Jozwiak
- The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics LaboratoryLaurelMDUSA
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17
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Deutsch AN, Neumann GA, Head JW, Wilson L. GRAIL-identified gravity anomalies in Oceanus Procellarum: Insight into subsurface impact and magmatic structures on the Moon. ICARUS 2019; 331:192-208. [PMID: 32550742 PMCID: PMC7302338 DOI: 10.1016/j.icarus.2019.05.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Four, quasi-circular, positive Bouguer gravity anomalies (PBGAs) that are similar in diameter (~90-190 km) and gravitational amplitude (>140 mGal contrast) are identified within the central Oceanus Procellarum region of the Moon. These spatially associated PBGAs are located south of Aristarchus Plateau, north of Flamsteed crater, and two are within the Marius Hills volcanic complex (north and south). Each is characterized by distinct surface geologic features suggestive of ancient impact craters and/or volcanic/plutonic activity. Here, we combine geologic analyses with forward modeling of high-resolution gravity data from the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission in order to constrain the subsurface structures that contribute to these four PBGAs. The GRAIL data presented here, at spherical harmonic degrees 6-660, permit higher resolution analyses of these anomalies than previously reported, and reveal new information about subsurface structures. Specifically, we find that the amplitudes of the four PBGAs cannot be explained solely by mare-flooded craters, as suggested in previous work; an additional density contrast is required to explain the high-amplitude of the PBGAs. For Northern Flamsteed (190 km diameter), the additional density contrast may be provided by impact-related mantle uplift. If the local crust has a density ~2800 kg/m3, then ~7 km of uplift is required for this anomaly, although less uplift is required if the local crust has a lower mean density of ~2500 kg/m3. For the Northern and Southern Marius Hills anomalies, the additional density contrast is consistent with the presence of a crustal complex of vertical dikes that occupies up to ~37% of the regionally thin crust. The structure of Southern Aristarchus Plateau (90 km diameter), an anomaly with crater-related topographic structures, remains ambiguous. Based on the relatively small size of the anomaly, we do not favor mantle uplift, however understanding mantle response in a region of especially thin crust needs to be better resolved. It is more likely that this anomaly is due to subsurface magmatic material given the abundance of volcanic material in the surrounding region. Overall, the four PBGAs analyzed here are important in understanding the impact and volcanic/plutonic history of the Moon, specifically in a region of thin crust and elevated temperatures characteristic of the Procellarum KREEP Terrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel N. Deutsch
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | | | - James W. Head
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Lionel Wilson
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, UK
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18
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Martinot M, Flahaut J, Besse S, Quantin‐Nataf C, van Westrenen W. Compositional Variations in the Vicinity of the Lunar Crust-Mantle Interface From Moon Mineralogy Mapper Data. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH. PLANETS 2018; 123:3220-3237. [PMID: 31007994 PMCID: PMC6472644 DOI: 10.1029/2018je005744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2018] [Revised: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Moon Mineralogy Mapper spectroscopic data were used to investigate the mineralogy of a selection of impact craters' central peaks or peak rings, in order to characterize the lunar crust-mantle interface, and assess its lateral and vertical heterogeneity. The depth of origin of the craters' central peaks or peak rings was calculated using empirical equations, and compared to Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory crustal thickness models to select craters tapping within +10/-20 km of the crust-mantle interface. Our results show that plagioclase is widely detected, including in craters allegedly sampling lower crustal to mantle material, except in central peaks where Low-Calcium Pyroxene was detected. Olivine detections are scarce, and identified in material assumed to be derived from both above and below the crust-mantle interface. Mineralogical detections in central peaks show that there is an evolution of the pyroxene composition with depth, that may correspond to the transition from the crust to the mantle. The correlation between High-Calcium Pyroxene and some pyroxene-dominated mixture spectra with the location of maria and cryptomaria hints at the existence of lateral heterogeneities as deep as the crust-mantle interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Martinot
- Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Université de Lyon, UCBL, ENSL, CNRS, LGL‐TPEVilleurbanneFrance
| | - J. Flahaut
- Centre de Recherches Pétrographiques et Géochimiques, CNRS/Université de LorraineVandoeuvre‐lès‐NancyFrance
| | - S. Besse
- European Space Astronomy Centre, Villanueva de la CañadaMadridSpain
| | | | - W. van Westrenen
- Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
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19
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Chaudhuri T, Wan Y, Mazumder R, Ma M, Liu D. Evidence of Enriched, Hadean Mantle Reservoir from 4.2-4.0 Ga zircon xenocrysts from Paleoarchean TTGs of the Singhbhum Craton, Eastern India. Sci Rep 2018; 8:7069. [PMID: 29728630 PMCID: PMC5935743 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-25494-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensitive High-Resolution Ion Microprobe (SHRIMP) U-Pb analyses of zircons from Paleoarchean (~3.4 Ga) tonalite-gneiss called the Older Metamorphic Tonalitic Gneiss (OMTG) from the Champua area of the Singhbhum Craton, India, reveal 4.24-4.03 Ga xenocrystic zircons, suggesting that the OMTG records the hitherto unknown oldest precursor of Hadean age reported in India. Hf isotopic analyses of the Hadean xenocrysts yield unradiogenic 176Hf/177Hfinitial compositions (0.27995 ± 0.0009 to 0.28001 ± 0.0007; ɛHf[t] = −2.5 to −5.2) indicating that an enriched reservoir existed during Hadean eon in the Singhbhum cratonic mantle. Time integrated ɛHf[t] compositional array of the Hadean xenocrysts indicates a mafic protolith with 176Lu/177Hf ratio of ∼0.019 that was reworked during ∼4.2-4.0 Ga. This also suggests that separation of such an enriched reservoir from chondritic mantle took place at 4.5 ± 0.19 Ga. However, more radiogenic yet subchondritic compositions of ∼3.67 Ga (average 176Hf/177Hfinitial 0.28024 ± 0.00007) and ~3.4 Ga zircons (average 176Hf/177Hfinitial = 0.28053 ± 0.00003) from the same OMTG samples and two other Paleoarchean TTGs dated at ~3.4 Ga and ~3.3 Ga (average 176Hf/177Hfinitial is 0.28057 ± 0.00008 and 0.28060 ± 0.00003), respectively, corroborate that the enriched Hadean reservoir subsequently underwent mixing with mantle-derived juvenile magma during the Eo-Paleoarchean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trisrota Chaudhuri
- Department of Geology, University of Calcutta, 35, Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata, 700019, India
| | - Yusheng Wan
- Beijing SHRIMP Center, Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing, 100037, China
| | - Rajat Mazumder
- Department of Applied Geology, Faculty of Engineering and Science, Curtin University Malaysia, CDT 250, Miri, 98009, Sarawak, Malaysia.
| | - Mingzhu Ma
- Beijing SHRIMP Center, Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing, 100037, China
| | - Dunyi Liu
- Beijing SHRIMP Center, Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing, 100037, China
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20
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Klima RL, Petro NE. Remotely distinguishing and mapping endogenic water on the Moon. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2017; 375:20150391. [PMID: 28416727 PMCID: PMC5394255 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2015.0391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/14/2016] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Water and/or hydroxyl detected remotely on the lunar surface originates from several sources: (i) comets and other exogenous debris; (ii) solar-wind implantation; (iii) the lunar interior. While each of these sources is interesting in its own right, distinguishing among them is critical for testing hypotheses for the origin and evolution of the Moon and our Solar System. Existing spacecraft observations are not of high enough spectral resolution to uniquely characterize the bonding energies of the hydroxyl molecules that have been detected. Nevertheless, the spatial distribution and associations of H, OH- or H2O with specific lunar lithologies provide some insight into the origin of lunar hydrous materials. The global distribution of OH-/H2O as detected using infrared spectroscopic measurements from orbit is here examined, with particular focus on regional geological features that exhibit OH-/H2O absorption band strengths that differ from their immediate surroundings.This article is part of the themed issue 'The origin, history and role of water in the evolution of the inner Solar System'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel L Klima
- Space Exploration Sector, Planetary Exploration Group, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD 20723, USA
| | - Noah E Petro
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
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21
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Lunar true polar wander inferred from polar hydrogen. Nature 2016; 531:480-4. [DOI: 10.1038/nature17166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2015] [Accepted: 01/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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22
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Ling Z, Jolliff BL, Wang A, Li C, Liu J, Zhang J, Li B, Sun L, Chen J, Xiao L, Liu J, Ren X, Peng W, Wang H, Cui X, He Z, Wang J. Correlated compositional and mineralogical investigations at the Chang'e-3 landing site. Nat Commun 2015; 6:8880. [PMID: 26694712 PMCID: PMC4703877 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2015] [Accepted: 10/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The chemical compositions of relatively young mare lava flows have implications for the late volcanism on the Moon. Here we report the composition of soil along the rim of a 450-m diameter fresh crater at the Chang′e-3 (CE-3) landing site, investigated by the Yutu rover with in situ APXS (Active Particle-induced X-ray Spectrometer) and VNIS (Visible and Near-infrared Imaging Spectrometer) measurements. Results indicate that this region's composition differs from other mare sample-return sites and is a new type of mare basalt not previously sampled, but consistent with remote sensing. The CE-3 regolith derived from olivine-normative basaltic rocks with high FeO/(FeO+MgO). Deconvolution of the VNIS data indicates abundant high-Ca ferropyroxene (augite and pigeonite) plus Fe-rich olivine. We infer from the regolith composition that the basaltic source rocks formed during late-stage magma-ocean differentiation when dense ferropyroxene-ilmenite cumulates sank and mixed with deeper, relatively ferroan olivine and orthopyroxene in a hybridized mantle source. The chemical compositions of young lava flows on the Moon have implications for late volcanism. Here, the authors present mineral distribution data from the Chang′e-3 Yutu rover in the northern Imbrium mare region, reporting unique compositional characteristics of a previously unsampled basalt type.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zongcheng Ling
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China.,Department of Earth &Planetary Sciences and McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences, Washington University, St Louis, Missouri 63130, USA.,Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Bradley L Jolliff
- Department of Earth &Planetary Sciences and McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences, Washington University, St Louis, Missouri 63130, USA
| | - Alian Wang
- Department of Earth &Planetary Sciences and McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences, Washington University, St Louis, Missouri 63130, USA
| | - Chunlai Li
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Jianzhong Liu
- Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550002, China
| | - Jiang Zhang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China
| | - Bo Li
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China
| | - Lingzhi Sun
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China
| | - Jian Chen
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China
| | - Long Xiao
- Planetary Science Institute, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Jianjun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Xin Ren
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Wenxi Peng
- Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Huanyu Wang
- Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xingzhu Cui
- Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhiping He
- Key Laboratory of Space Active Opto-Electronics Technology, Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Shanghai 200083, China
| | - Jianyu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Space Active Opto-Electronics Technology, Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Shanghai 200083, China
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23
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Abstract
Petrologic analysis of the lunar surface is critical for determining lunar formation and evolution. Here, we report the first global petrologic map that includes the five most important lunar lithological units: the Ferroan Anorthositic (FAN) Unit, the Magnesian Suite (MS) Unit, the Alkali Suite (AS) Unit, the KREEP Basalt (KB) Unit and the Mare Basalt (MB) Unit. Based on the petrologic map and focusing on four long-debated and important issues related to lunar formation and evolution, we draw the following conclusions from the new insights into the global distribution of the five petrologic units: (1) there may be no petrogenetic relationship between MS rocks and KB; (2) there may be no petrogenetic link between MS and AS rocks; (3) the exposure of the KREEP component on the lunar surface is likely not a result of MB volcanism but is instead mainly associated with the combined action of plutonic intrusion, KREEP volcanism and celestial collision; (4) the impact size of the South Pole-Aitken basin is constrained, i.e., the basin has been excavated through the whole crust to exhume a vast majority of lower-crustal material and a very limited mantle components to the lunar surface.
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Neumann GA, Zuber MT, Wieczorek MA, Head JW, Baker DMH, Solomon SC, Smith DE, Lemoine FG, Mazarico E, Sabaka TJ, Goossens SJ, Melosh HJ, Phillips RJ, Asmar SW, Konopliv AS, Williams JG, Sori MM, Soderblom JM, Miljković K, Andrews-Hanna JC, Nimmo F, Kiefer WS. Lunar impact basins revealed by Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory measurements. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2015; 1:e1500852. [PMID: 26601317 PMCID: PMC4646831 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1500852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2015] [Accepted: 08/18/2015] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Observations from the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission indicate a marked change in the gravitational signature of lunar impact structures at the morphological transition, with increasing diameter, from complex craters to peak-ring basins. At crater diameters larger than ~200 km, a central positive Bouguer anomaly is seen within the innermost peak ring, and an annular negative Bouguer anomaly extends outward from this ring to the outer topographic rim crest. These observations demonstrate that basin-forming impacts remove crustal materials from within the peak ring and thicken the crust between the peak ring and the outer rim crest. A correlation between the diameter of the central Bouguer gravity high and the outer topographic ring diameter for well-preserved basins enables the identification and characterization of basins for which topographic signatures have been obscured by superposed cratering and volcanism. The GRAIL inventory of lunar basins improves upon earlier lists that differed in their totals by more than a factor of 2. The size-frequency distributions of basins on the nearside and farside hemispheres of the Moon differ substantially; the nearside hosts more basins larger than 350 km in diameter, whereas the farside has more smaller basins. Hemispherical differences in target properties, including temperature and porosity, are likely to have contributed to these different distributions. Better understanding of the factors that control basin size will help to constrain models of the original impactor population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory A. Neumann
- Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
| | - Maria T. Zuber
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Mark A. Wieczorek
- Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université Paris Diderot, CNRS, Paris 75013, France
| | - James W. Head
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - David M. H. Baker
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Sean C. Solomon
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, NY 10964, USA
- Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, DC 20015, USA
| | - David E. Smith
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Frank G. Lemoine
- Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
| | - Erwan Mazarico
- Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
| | - Terence J. Sabaka
- Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
| | - Sander J. Goossens
- Center for Research and Exploration in Space Science and Technology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA
| | - H. Jay Melosh
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Roger J. Phillips
- Planetary Science Directorate, Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA
| | - Sami W. Asmar
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109–8099, USA
| | - Alexander S. Konopliv
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109–8099, USA
| | - James G. Williams
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109–8099, USA
| | - Michael M. Sori
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jason M. Soderblom
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Katarina Miljković
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jeffrey C. Andrews-Hanna
- Department of Geophysics and Center for Space Resources, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401, USA
| | - Francis Nimmo
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
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Andrews-Hanna JC, Besserer J, Head JW, Howett CJA, Kiefer WS, Lucey PJ, McGovern PJ, Melosh HJ, Neumann GA, Phillips RJ, Schenk PM, Smith DE, Solomon SC, Zuber MT. Structure and evolution of the lunar Procellarum region as revealed by GRAIL gravity data. Nature 2014; 514:68-71. [PMID: 25279919 DOI: 10.1038/nature13697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2014] [Accepted: 07/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The Procellarum region is a broad area on the nearside of the Moon that is characterized by low elevations, thin crust, and high surface concentrations of the heat-producing elements uranium, thorium, and potassium. The region has been interpreted as an ancient impact basin approximately 3,200 kilometres in diameter, although supporting evidence at the surface would have been largely obscured as a result of the great antiquity and poor preservation of any diagnostic features. Here we use data from the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission to examine the subsurface structure of Procellarum. The Bouguer gravity anomalies and gravity gradients reveal a pattern of narrow linear anomalies that border Procellarum and are interpreted to be the frozen remnants of lava-filled rifts and the underlying feeder dykes that served as the magma plumbing system for much of the nearside mare volcanism. The discontinuous surface structures that were earlier interpreted as remnants of an impact basin rim are shown in GRAIL data to be a part of this continuous set of border structures in a quasi-rectangular pattern with angular intersections, contrary to the expected circular or elliptical shape of an impact basin. The spatial pattern of magmatic-tectonic structures bounding Procellarum is consistent with their formation in response to thermal stresses produced by the differential cooling of the province relative to its surroundings, coupled with magmatic activity driven by the greater-than-average heat flux in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey C Andrews-Hanna
- Department of Geophysics and Center for Space Resources, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, USA
| | - Jonathan Besserer
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA
| | - James W Head
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, USA
| | - Carly J A Howett
- Planetary Science Directorate, Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, Colorado 80302, USA
| | | | - Paul J Lucey
- Hawaii Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, USA
| | | | - H Jay Melosh
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA
| | - Gregory A Neumann
- Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, USA
| | - Roger J Phillips
- Planetary Science Directorate, Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, Colorado 80302, USA
| | - Paul M Schenk
- Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, Texas 77058, USA
| | - David E Smith
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139-4307, USA
| | - Sean C Solomon
- 1] Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington DC 20015, USA [2] Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, New York 10964, USA
| | - Maria T Zuber
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139-4307, USA
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Miljković K, Wieczorek MA, Collins GS, Laneuville M, Neumann GA, Melosh HJ, Solomon SC, Phillips RJ, Smith DE, Zuber MT. Asymmetric Distribution of Lunar Impact Basins Caused by Variations in Target Properties. Science 2013; 342:724-6. [DOI: 10.1126/science.1243224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Katarina Miljković
- Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université Paris Diderot, Case 7011, Lamarck A, 5, 35 rue Hélène Brion, 75205 Paris cedex 13, France
| | - Mark A. Wieczorek
- Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université Paris Diderot, Case 7011, Lamarck A, 5, 35 rue Hélène Brion, 75205 Paris cedex 13, France
| | - Gareth S. Collins
- Department of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Matthieu Laneuville
- Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université Paris Diderot, Case 7011, Lamarck A, 5, 35 rue Hélène Brion, 75205 Paris cedex 13, France
| | - Gregory A. Neumann
- Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
| | - H. Jay Melosh
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Sean C. Solomon
- Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, DC 20015, USA
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, NY 10964, USA
| | - Roger J. Phillips
- Planetary Science Directorate, Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA
| | - David E. Smith
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Maria T. Zuber
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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Zuber MT, Smith DE, Watkins MM, Asmar SW, Konopliv AS, Lemoine FG, Melosh HJ, Neumann GA, Phillips RJ, Solomon SC, Wieczorek MA, Williams JG, Goossens SJ, Kruizinga G, Mazarico E, Park RS, Yuan DN. Gravity field of the Moon from the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission. Science 2012; 339:668-71. [PMID: 23223395 DOI: 10.1126/science.1231507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 317] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Spacecraft-to-spacecraft tracking observations from the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) have been used to construct a gravitational field of the Moon to spherical harmonic degree and order 420. The GRAIL field reveals features not previously resolved, including tectonic structures, volcanic landforms, basin rings, crater central peaks, and numerous simple craters. From degrees 80 through 300, over 98% of the gravitational signature is associated with topography, a result that reflects the preservation of crater relief in highly fractured crust. The remaining 2% represents fine details of subsurface structure not previously resolved. GRAIL elucidates the role of impact bombardment in homogenizing the distribution of shallow density anomalies on terrestrial planetary bodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria T Zuber
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307, USA.
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28
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Hagerty JJ, Lawrence DJ, Hawke BR. Thorium abundances of basalt ponds in South Pole-Aitken basin: Insights into the composition and evolution of the far side lunar mantle. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.1029/2010je003723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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29
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Siegler MA, Bills BG, Paige DA. Effects of orbital evolution on lunar ice stability. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.1029/2010je003652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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30
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Greenhagen BT, Lucey PG, Wyatt MB, Glotch TD, Allen CC, Arnold JA, Bandfield JL, Bowles NE, Donaldson Hanna KL, Hayne PO, Song E, Thomas IR, Paige DA. Global silicate mineralogy of the Moon from the Diviner lunar radiometer. Science 2010; 329:1507-9. [PMID: 20847266 DOI: 10.1126/science.1192196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
We obtained direct global measurements of the lunar surface using multispectral thermal emission mapping with the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment. Most lunar terrains have spectral signatures that are consistent with known lunar anorthosite and basalt compositions. However, the data have also revealed the presence of highly evolved, silica-rich lunar soils in kilometer-scale and larger exposures, expanded the compositional range of the anorthosites that dominate the lunar crust, and shown that pristine lunar mantle is not exposed at the lunar surface at the kilometer scale. Together, these observations provide compelling evidence that the Moon is a complex body that has experienced a diverse set of igneous processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin T Greenhagen
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA.
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Cryptomare magmatism 4.35 Gyr ago recorded in lunar meteorite Kalahari 009. Nature 2008; 450:849-52. [PMID: 18064006 DOI: 10.1038/nature06356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2007] [Accepted: 10/02/2007] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The origin and evolution of the Moon remain controversial, with one of the most important questions for lunar evolution being the timing and duration of basaltic (mare) magmatism. Here we report the result of ion microprobe U-Pb dating of phosphates in a lunar meteorite, Kalahari 009, which is classified as a very-low-Ti mare-basalt breccia. In situ analyses of five phosphate grains, associated with basaltic clasts, give an age of 4.35 +/- 0.15 billion years. These ancient phosphate ages are thought to represent the crystallization ages of parental basalt magma, making Kalahari 009 one of the oldest known mare basalts. We suggest that mare basalt volcanism on the Moon started as early as 4.35 Gyr ago, relatively soon after its formation and differentiation, and preceding the bulk of lunar volcanism which ensued after the late heavy bombardment around 3.8-3.9 Gyr (refs 7 and 8). Considering the extremely low abundances of incompatible elements such as thorium and the rare earth elements in Kalahari 009 (ref. 9) and recent remote-sensing observations illustrating that the cryptomaria tend to be of very-low-Ti basalt type, we conclude that Kalahari 009 is our first sample of a very-low-Ti cryptomare from the Moon.
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32
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Prettyman TH, Hagerty JJ, Elphic RC, Feldman WC, Lawrence DJ, McKinney GW, Vaniman DT. Elemental composition of the lunar surface: Analysis of gamma ray spectroscopy data from Lunar Prospector. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2006. [DOI: 10.1029/2005je002656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 283] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - J. J. Hagerty
- Los Alamos National Laboratory; Los Alamos New Mexico USA
| | - R. C. Elphic
- Los Alamos National Laboratory; Los Alamos New Mexico USA
| | - W. C. Feldman
- Los Alamos National Laboratory; Los Alamos New Mexico USA
| | - D. J. Lawrence
- Los Alamos National Laboratory; Los Alamos New Mexico USA
| | - G. W. McKinney
- Los Alamos National Laboratory; Los Alamos New Mexico USA
| | - D. T. Vaniman
- Los Alamos National Laboratory; Los Alamos New Mexico USA
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33
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Borg LE, Shearer CK, Asmerom Y, Papike JJ. Prolonged KREEP magmatism on the Moon indicated by the youngest dated lunar igneous rock. Nature 2004; 432:209-11. [PMID: 15538366 DOI: 10.1038/nature03070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2004] [Accepted: 09/28/2004] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Primordial solidification of the Moon (or its uppermost layer) resulted in the formation of a variety of rock types that subsequently melted and mixed to produce the compositional diversity observed in the lunar sample suite. The initial rocks to crystallize from this Moon-wide molten layer (the magma ocean) contained olivine and pyroxene and were compositionally less evolved than the plagioclase-rich rocks that followed. The last stage of crystallization, representing the last few per cent of the magma ocean, produced materials that are strongly enriched in incompatible elements including potassium (K), the rare earth elements (REE) and phosphorus (P)--termed KREEP. The decay of radioactive elements in KREEP, such as uranium and thorium, is generally thought to provide the thermal energy necessary for more recent lunar magmatism. The ages of KREEP-rich samples are, however, confined to the earliest periods of lunar magmatism between 3.8 and 4.6 billion years (Gyr) ago, providing no physical evidence that KREEP is directly involved in more recent lunar magmatism. But here we present evidence that KREEP magmatism extended for an additional 1 Gyr, based on analyses of the youngest dated lunar sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars E Borg
- Institute of Meteoritics, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA.
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34
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Gnos E, Hofmann BA, Al-Kathiri A, Lorenzetti S, Eugster O, Whitehouse MJ, Villa IM, Jull AJT, Eikenberg J, Spettel B, Krähenbühl U, Franchi IA, Greenwood RC. Pinpointing the Source of a Lunar Meteorite: Implications for the Evolution of the Moon. Science 2004; 305:657-9. [PMID: 15286369 DOI: 10.1126/science.1099397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
The lunar meteorite Sayh al Uhaymir 169 consists of an impact melt breccia extremely enriched with potassium, rare earth elements, and phosphorus [thorium, 32.7 parts per million (ppm); uranium, 8.6 ppm; potassium oxide, 0.54 weight percent], and adherent regolith. The isotope systematics of the meteorite record four lunar impact events at 3909 +/- 13 million years ago (Ma), approximately 2800 Ma, approximately 200 Ma, and <0.34 Ma, and collision with Earth sometime after 9.7 +/- 1.3 thousand years ago. With these data, we can link the impact-melt breccia to Imbrium and pinpoint the source region of the meteorite to the Lalande impact crater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edwin Gnos
- Institut für Geologie, Universität Bern, Baltzerstrasse 1, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland.
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Stegman DR, Jellinek AM, Zatman SA, Baumgardner JR, Richards MA. An early lunar core dynamo driven by thermochemical mantle convection. Nature 2003; 421:143-6. [PMID: 12520295 DOI: 10.1038/nature01267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2002] [Accepted: 10/25/2002] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Although the Moon currently has no internally generated magnetic field, palaeomagnetic data, combined with radiometric ages of Apollo samples, provide evidence for such a magnetic field from approximately 3.9 to 3.6 billion years (Gyr) ago, possibly owing to an ancient lunar dynamo. But the presence of a lunar dynamo during this time period is difficult to explain, because thermal evolution models for the Moon yield insufficient core heat flux to power a dynamo after approximately 4.2 Gyr ago. Here we show that a transient increase in core heat flux after an overturn of an initially stratified lunar mantle might explain the existence and timing of an early lunar dynamo. Using a three-dimensional spherical convection model, we show that a dense layer, enriched in radioactive elements (a 'thermal blanket'), at the base of the lunar mantle can initially prevent core cooling, thereby inhibiting core convection and magnetic field generation. Subsequent radioactive heating progressively increases the buoyancy of the thermal blanket, ultimately causing it to rise back into the mantle. The removal of the thermal blanket, proposed to explain the eruption of thorium- and titanium-rich lunar mare basalts, plausibly results in a core heat flux sufficient to power a short-lived lunar dynamo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dave R Stegman
- Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.
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38
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Hiesinger H. Ages and stratigraphy of mare basalts in Oceanus Procellarum, Mare Nubium, Mare Cognitum, and Mare Insularum. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2003. [DOI: 10.1029/2002je001985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 300] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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40
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Chevrel SD, Pinet PC, Daydou Y, Maurice S, Lawrence DJ, Feldman WC, Lucey PG. Integration of the Clementine UV-VIS spectral reflectance data and the Lunar Prospector gamma-ray spectrometer data: A global-scale multielement analysis of the lunar surface using iron, titanium, and thorium abundances. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2002. [DOI: 10.1029/2000je001419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- S. D. Chevrel
- Groupe de Recherches de Géodésie Spatiale; Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées; Toulouse France
| | - P. C. Pinet
- Groupe de Recherches de Géodésie Spatiale; Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées; Toulouse France
| | - Y. Daydou
- Groupe de Recherches de Géodésie Spatiale; Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées; Toulouse France
| | - S. Maurice
- Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées; Toulouse France
| | - D. J. Lawrence
- Los Alamos National Laboratory; Los Alamos New Mexico USA
| | - W. C. Feldman
- Los Alamos National Laboratory; Los Alamos New Mexico USA
| | - P. G. Lucey
- Hawaii Institute of Geophysics and Planetology; University of Hawaii; Honolulu Hawaii USA
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41
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Wieczorek MA, Zuber MT. A Serenitatis origin for the Imbrian grooves and South Pole-Aitken thorium anomaly. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2001. [DOI: 10.1029/2000je001384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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