Compositional studies of the Orientale, Humorum, Nectaris, and Crisium lunar basins

Details Compositional studies of the Orientale, Humorum, Nectaris, and Crisium lunar basins Compositional studies of the Orientale, Humorum, Nectaris, and Crisium lunar basins

Feb 2000

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2000jgr...105.4235b&link_type=abstract

Journal of Geophysical Research, Volume 105, Issue E2, p. 4235-4244

Mathematics

Logic

25

Planetology: Solid Surface Planets: Impact Phenomena (Includes Cratering), Planetology: Solid Surface Planets: Remote Sensing, Planetology: Solar System Objects: Moon

Scientific paper

We have used full-resolution (250 m/pixel) Clementine images to map the compositions of ejecta from four multiring basins on the Moon: Orientale, Humorum, Nectaris, and Crisium. All basins have relatively feldspathic ejecta, with iron contents ranging from 2 to 6 wt % FeO. Some basins show remarkably homogeneous ejecta blankets (Orientale), while others display distinct compositional zoning within exterior sectors of the basin (Crisium); in some cases this zoning correlates with morphologically observed ejecta facies (Nectaris). The iron-poor composition of most basin ejecta indicates that the crust of the Moon at these locations is feldspathic down to depths of at least several tens of kilometers, the likely sampling depth of basin-forming impacts. The inner rings of all four basins display massifs and small crater floors of nearly pure anorthosite (FeO<1wt%), virtually the only such occurrences of this rock type on the Moon. Because basin rings are structurally emplaced topographic elements derived from depths of at lest 10-20 km into the Moon, we postulate that basin inner rings are sampling a unique stratigraphic level in the Moon and at these depths, the primordial, pristine anorthositic crust of the Moon is largely preserved. Below this zone of anorthosite is the more mafic region of the lower crust, probably having ``highland basalt'' composition (FeO~10wt%, Al2O3~18-22wt%). The petrologic nature of lower crustal levels remains uncertain but must at least in part include members of the mafic highland suite, such as norites and troctolites.

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