Correlated compositional and mineralogical investigations at the Chang′e-3 landing site

Zongcheng Ling,Zhiping He,Chunlai Li,Long Xiao,Alian Wang,Bo Li,Bradley L Jolliff,Huanyu Wang,Jian Chen,Xin Ren,Jianyu Wang,Jianzhong Liu,Wenxi Peng,Xingzhu Cui,Lingzhi Sun,Jianjun Liu,Jiang Zhang

doi:10.1038/ncomms9880

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.

Highlights

The chemical compositions of relatively young mare lava flows have implications for the late volcanism on the Moon
We combine the data from two payload elements of the Yutu rover, the Active Particle-induced X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) and Visible and Near-infrared Imaging Spectrometer (VNIS; see Methods section for the instrument descriptions), and report the composition and mineralogy of the region explored by the rover
We present the mineralogical information derived from APXS chemical data and VNIS spectral data, showing self-consistent and well-correlated results in mineral modes and mineral chemistries

Summary

Introduction

We report the composition of soil along the rim of a 450-m diameter fresh crater at the Chang0e-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 more accurate in situ chemical and mineralogical measurements of the new basalt type provide ground-truth validation of remote sensing studies that indicated the olivine-rich mineralogy of the basalt unit where CE-3 landed. The CE-3 landing site and in situ analyses of the rocks and soils derived from the fresh crater near the landing site provide key new ground truth for some of the youngest volcanism on the Moon

Methods

Results

Conclusion