In the canonical view of lunar evolution,mare basalts are regarded as secondary partial melts of deep-seated lunar mantle formed as cumulates from a lunar magma ocean(LMO)during the early stage of lunar magmatism[1].M...In the canonical view of lunar evolution,mare basalts are regarded as secondary partial melts of deep-seated lunar mantle formed as cumulates from a lunar magma ocean(LMO)during the early stage of lunar magmatism[1].Mare basalts filled mainly near-side lunar basins and occupied approximately 17%of the lunar surface[2].Mare volcanism is a long-lived process(1.0 to 4.4 Ga)that primarily involved the emplacement of lunar basins during the era of large impact basin formation(3.5-3.8 Ga)[1].Some earlier pulses of volcanism(prior to 3.9 Ga)also existed on the moon but covered only a small area(2%)in the form of cryp-tomare basalts[3].Ancient lunar basalts are relatively enriched in Al,K,and rare earth elements(REEs).Representative rocks include high-Al,high-K,K-REE-P-rich rock(KREEP)and some cryp-tomare basalts[1],which were emplaced at the surface during a continuous episode contemporaneous with lunar crust formation[1].Younger patches of mare volcanism(as late as 1.0 Ga)have been recognized via remote sensing techniques[2].However,only the Chang’E 5(CE5)samples provided solid evidence for 2.0 Ga young volcanic activity[4,5].Mare volcanism on the lunar far side,while relatively sparse,follows a similar temporal distribution pat-tern[6].展开更多
Lunar breccias provide crucial insights into the lithological diversity,shock processing and evolution of the lunar crust.Here,we report a unique regolith breccia(CE5C0000YJYX070GP,hereafter CE5C)returned from the Cha...Lunar breccias provide crucial insights into the lithological diversity,shock processing and evolution of the lunar crust.Here,we report a unique regolith breccia(CE5C0000YJYX070GP,hereafter CE5C)returned from the Chang'E-5(CE-5)mission.CE5C is one of the largest CE-5 breccias with a wide variety of lithologies,dominated by basaltic and mineral fragments as well as impact-melted clasts(including mid-Ti glasses,high-Al glasses,and crystal-bearing impact melt clasts).A comprehensive study of petrology and mineralogy on several representative clasts was conducted by integrating Scanning Electron Microscopy(SEM),Tescan Integrated Mineral Analysis(TIMA),Electron Probe Microanalysis(EPMA)and Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry(LA-ICP-MS)techniques.Evidence is sufficient that CE5C is a mixed mare-highland regolith breccia,with a high percentage of KREEPy material(>20 vol.%),which has not been previously reported in other CE-5 samples.The mid-Ti impact glasses are characterized by high FeO(24.0 wt.%)and intermediate TiO_(2)(5.5 wt.%)contents,while the high-Al impact glasses have a chemical composition compatible with KREEP.Integrated with the regional geological context of the CE-5 landing site,we propose that CE5C is likely derived from a mixed region between the P58/Em4 mare unit and its contiguous eastern highlands.Despite the difficulty in assessing the representativeness of CE5C,the substantial presence of KREEPy material may provide valuable clues to the provenance of exotic ejecta,including the identification of unrecognized source craters situated in the eastern periphery of the sampling unit.展开更多
In December 2020, Chang’E-5(CE-5), China’s first lunar sample return mission, successfully collected samples totaling 1731 g from the northern Oceanus Procellarum. The landing site was located in a young mare plain,...In December 2020, Chang’E-5(CE-5), China’s first lunar sample return mission, successfully collected samples totaling 1731 g from the northern Oceanus Procellarum. The landing site was located in a young mare plain, a great distance from those of Apollo and Luna missions. These young mare basalts bear critical scientific significance as they could shed light on the nature of the lunar interior(composition and structure) as well as the recent volcanism on the Moon. In this article, we investigated a CE-5 basalt sample(CE5 C0000 YJYX065) using a combination of state-of-art techniques, including high resolution X-ray tomographic microscopy(HR-XTM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDS)-based scanning electron microscope(SEM), and electron probe microanalysis(EPMA) to reveal its 3 D petrology and minerology.Our results show that this sample has a fine-to medium-grained subophitic texture, with sparse olivine phenocrysts setting in the groundmass of pyroxene, plagioclase, ilmenite and trace amounts of other phases. It has an extremely high ilmenite modal abundance(17.8 vol%) and contains a significant amount(0.5 vol%) of Ca-phosphate grains. The mineral chemistry is in excellent agreement with that of Apollo and Luna high-Ti basalts. The major phase pyroxenes also display strong chemical zoning with compositions following the trends observed in Apollo high-Ti basalts. Based on current data, we came to the conclusion that CE5 C0000 YJYX065 is a high-Ti mare basalt with a rare earth element(REE) enriched signature. This provides a rigid ground-truth for the geological context at the CE-5 landing site and clarifies the ambiguity inferred from remote sensing surveys.展开更多
The evolution of the Moon is driven by both endogenic(e.g.,magmatism)and exogenic processes(e.g.,impact).The lunar surface can be divided into 3 first-order tectonic units based on differences in geochemistry,crustal ...The evolution of the Moon is driven by both endogenic(e.g.,magmatism)and exogenic processes(e.g.,impact).The lunar surface can be divided into 3 first-order tectonic units based on differences in geochemistry,crustal thickness,topography,and distribution of structures.However,the interpreted boundaries demarcated by different features varied widely.As research progresses,the understanding of the lunar structure is continuously improving,and new types of structures are constantly being discovered.The previous structural classification system needs to be updated.According to the major geological events and dynamic evolution,the evolutionary history of the Moon can be divided into 3 stages and 1 pivotal event.The first stage(4.52 to 4.3 Ga)is the evolution of the magmatic ocean,and it was dominated by endogenic processes.The formation of South Pole-Aitken(SPA)basin(~4.3 Ga)is the pivotal event of crustal evolution and indicates that the lunar crust had cooled and consolidated to sufficient rigidity to preserve structures.Both endogenic and exogenic processes were active in the second stage(4.3 to 3.0 Ga),which results in numerous impact basins,mare basalt flooding,and different types of associated structures.The last stage(3.0 Ga to the present)is late neotectonic activity,which has weak modification of the tectonic framework.Response of tectonic framework and structure to lunar major geological events had been organized and discussed in this paper,and key scientific issues are summarized.This study can provide reference and support for implementation of subsequent lunar exploration projects.展开更多
One major task of studying the formation and evolution of the Moon is to construct a timeline of the important events with precise isotopic ages.Here,we review recent major isotopic geochronological progress in the pa...One major task of studying the formation and evolution of the Moon is to construct a timeline of the important events with precise isotopic ages.Here,we review recent major isotopic geochronological progress in the past decade and the unsolved problems in isotopic geochronology.The Moon probably formed between 4.52 and 4.42 Ga.Recent high-precision whole-rock and mineral Sm-Nd isotopic dating results suggested that ferroan anorthosite and highlands magnesian suite rocks formed contemporarily around 4.37 to 4.33 Ga.Although the major mare basaltic volcanism took place from 3.85 to 2.93 Ga,new geochronological data from lunar meteorites and Chang’e-5 basalts suggested that lunar basaltic volcanism took place as old as up to 4.37 Ga and at least as young as 2.0 Ga,respectively.Impact events older than 3.9 Ga have also been revealed based on U-bearing minerals Pb/Pb ages and Ar-Ar ages and can provide important clues to understand the late heavy bombardment hypothesis.However,the reliable isotopic ages for the important events on the Moon are still far from conclusive,due to lack of pristine samples that directly crystallized from Lunar Magma Ocean and samples from impact melt sheets in large impact basins(e.g.,the South Pole-Aitken basin).In the future,collection and return of pristine samples of ferroan anorthosite and highlands magnesian suite rocks from the farside,cryptomare basalts and late-stage basalts,quartz monzogabbros,granites/felsites,and rocks from impact melt sheets in large impact basins are required for better understanding the formation and evolution of the Moon.展开更多
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2021YFA0716100)the Science and Technology Development Fund,Macao SAR(002/2024/SKL)+1 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(42202260)the Minor Planet Foundation of China.
文摘In the canonical view of lunar evolution,mare basalts are regarded as secondary partial melts of deep-seated lunar mantle formed as cumulates from a lunar magma ocean(LMO)during the early stage of lunar magmatism[1].Mare basalts filled mainly near-side lunar basins and occupied approximately 17%of the lunar surface[2].Mare volcanism is a long-lived process(1.0 to 4.4 Ga)that primarily involved the emplacement of lunar basins during the era of large impact basin formation(3.5-3.8 Ga)[1].Some earlier pulses of volcanism(prior to 3.9 Ga)also existed on the moon but covered only a small area(2%)in the form of cryp-tomare basalts[3].Ancient lunar basalts are relatively enriched in Al,K,and rare earth elements(REEs).Representative rocks include high-Al,high-K,K-REE-P-rich rock(KREEP)and some cryp-tomare basalts[1],which were emplaced at the surface during a continuous episode contemporaneous with lunar crust formation[1].Younger patches of mare volcanism(as late as 1.0 Ga)have been recognized via remote sensing techniques[2].However,only the Chang’E 5(CE5)samples provided solid evidence for 2.0 Ga young volcanic activity[4,5].Mare volcanism on the lunar far side,while relatively sparse,follows a similar temporal distribution pat-tern[6].
基金funded by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant No.2021YFA0716100)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.41973060,42173044,42241146 and 42273007)+2 种基金the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.XDB 41000000)the preresearch Project on Civil Aerospace Technologies(Grant Nos.D020202 and D020302)the Key Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.ZDBS-SSW-JSC007)。
文摘Lunar breccias provide crucial insights into the lithological diversity,shock processing and evolution of the lunar crust.Here,we report a unique regolith breccia(CE5C0000YJYX070GP,hereafter CE5C)returned from the Chang'E-5(CE-5)mission.CE5C is one of the largest CE-5 breccias with a wide variety of lithologies,dominated by basaltic and mineral fragments as well as impact-melted clasts(including mid-Ti glasses,high-Al glasses,and crystal-bearing impact melt clasts).A comprehensive study of petrology and mineralogy on several representative clasts was conducted by integrating Scanning Electron Microscopy(SEM),Tescan Integrated Mineral Analysis(TIMA),Electron Probe Microanalysis(EPMA)and Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry(LA-ICP-MS)techniques.Evidence is sufficient that CE5C is a mixed mare-highland regolith breccia,with a high percentage of KREEPy material(>20 vol.%),which has not been previously reported in other CE-5 samples.The mid-Ti impact glasses are characterized by high FeO(24.0 wt.%)and intermediate TiO_(2)(5.5 wt.%)contents,while the high-Al impact glasses have a chemical composition compatible with KREEP.Integrated with the regional geological context of the CE-5 landing site,we propose that CE5C is likely derived from a mixed region between the P58/Em4 mare unit and its contiguous eastern highlands.Despite the difficulty in assessing the representativeness of CE5C,the substantial presence of KREEPy material may provide valuable clues to the provenance of exotic ejecta,including the identification of unrecognized source craters situated in the eastern periphery of the sampling unit.
基金supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDB 41000000)the Civil Aerospace Pre-research Projects (D020202 and D020302)+2 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41773059, 41873076, 41803051, 41973060, 42073060, and 42173044)the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2021YFA0716100)the Minor Planet Foundation of China
文摘In December 2020, Chang’E-5(CE-5), China’s first lunar sample return mission, successfully collected samples totaling 1731 g from the northern Oceanus Procellarum. The landing site was located in a young mare plain, a great distance from those of Apollo and Luna missions. These young mare basalts bear critical scientific significance as they could shed light on the nature of the lunar interior(composition and structure) as well as the recent volcanism on the Moon. In this article, we investigated a CE-5 basalt sample(CE5 C0000 YJYX065) using a combination of state-of-art techniques, including high resolution X-ray tomographic microscopy(HR-XTM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDS)-based scanning electron microscope(SEM), and electron probe microanalysis(EPMA) to reveal its 3 D petrology and minerology.Our results show that this sample has a fine-to medium-grained subophitic texture, with sparse olivine phenocrysts setting in the groundmass of pyroxene, plagioclase, ilmenite and trace amounts of other phases. It has an extremely high ilmenite modal abundance(17.8 vol%) and contains a significant amount(0.5 vol%) of Ca-phosphate grains. The mineral chemistry is in excellent agreement with that of Apollo and Luna high-Ti basalts. The major phase pyroxenes also display strong chemical zoning with compositions following the trends observed in Apollo high-Ti basalts. Based on current data, we came to the conclusion that CE5 C0000 YJYX065 is a high-Ti mare basalt with a rare earth element(REE) enriched signature. This provides a rigid ground-truth for the geological context at the CE-5 landing site and clarifies the ambiguity inferred from remote sensing surveys.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant No.2022YFF0503100)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.42202264)+2 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China-Academic Divisions of Chinese Academy of Sciences Frontier Interdisciplinary Research Strategic Research Joint Funding Project(Grant No.L2224032,XK2022DXC004)the Key Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences,(Grant No.KGFZD-145-2023-15)Guizhou Provincial Science and Technology Projects(Grant No.[QKHJC-ZK(2023)-478]).
文摘The evolution of the Moon is driven by both endogenic(e.g.,magmatism)and exogenic processes(e.g.,impact).The lunar surface can be divided into 3 first-order tectonic units based on differences in geochemistry,crustal thickness,topography,and distribution of structures.However,the interpreted boundaries demarcated by different features varied widely.As research progresses,the understanding of the lunar structure is continuously improving,and new types of structures are constantly being discovered.The previous structural classification system needs to be updated.According to the major geological events and dynamic evolution,the evolutionary history of the Moon can be divided into 3 stages and 1 pivotal event.The first stage(4.52 to 4.3 Ga)is the evolution of the magmatic ocean,and it was dominated by endogenic processes.The formation of South Pole-Aitken(SPA)basin(~4.3 Ga)is the pivotal event of crustal evolution and indicates that the lunar crust had cooled and consolidated to sufficient rigidity to preserve structures.Both endogenic and exogenic processes were active in the second stage(4.3 to 3.0 Ga),which results in numerous impact basins,mare basalt flooding,and different types of associated structures.The last stage(3.0 Ga to the present)is late neotectonic activity,which has weak modification of the tectonic framework.Response of tectonic framework and structure to lunar major geological events had been organized and discussed in this paper,and key scientific issues are summarized.This study can provide reference and support for implementation of subsequent lunar exploration projects.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation (42025302 and 41973061)the preresearch Project on Civil Aerospace Technologies funded by CNSA (D020204)+1 种基金the B-type Strategic Priority Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDB41000000)by the National Natural Science Foundation of China-Academic Divisions of Chinese Academy of Sciences Frontier Interdisciplinary Research Strategic Research Joint Funding Project (L2224032 and XK2022DXC004).
文摘One major task of studying the formation and evolution of the Moon is to construct a timeline of the important events with precise isotopic ages.Here,we review recent major isotopic geochronological progress in the past decade and the unsolved problems in isotopic geochronology.The Moon probably formed between 4.52 and 4.42 Ga.Recent high-precision whole-rock and mineral Sm-Nd isotopic dating results suggested that ferroan anorthosite and highlands magnesian suite rocks formed contemporarily around 4.37 to 4.33 Ga.Although the major mare basaltic volcanism took place from 3.85 to 2.93 Ga,new geochronological data from lunar meteorites and Chang’e-5 basalts suggested that lunar basaltic volcanism took place as old as up to 4.37 Ga and at least as young as 2.0 Ga,respectively.Impact events older than 3.9 Ga have also been revealed based on U-bearing minerals Pb/Pb ages and Ar-Ar ages and can provide important clues to understand the late heavy bombardment hypothesis.However,the reliable isotopic ages for the important events on the Moon are still far from conclusive,due to lack of pristine samples that directly crystallized from Lunar Magma Ocean and samples from impact melt sheets in large impact basins(e.g.,the South Pole-Aitken basin).In the future,collection and return of pristine samples of ferroan anorthosite and highlands magnesian suite rocks from the farside,cryptomare basalts and late-stage basalts,quartz monzogabbros,granites/felsites,and rocks from impact melt sheets in large impact basins are required for better understanding the formation and evolution of the Moon.
