Lunar deep materials observed by Chang'e-4 rover

Abstract

China's Chang'e-4 spacecraft achieved the first ever soft-landing within the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin on the farside of the Moon. The Chang'e-4 rover, named Yutu-2, made in-situ spectral observations on lunar regolith and a rock fragment at 11 locations during a nominal three-month mission period. The lunar regolith has a relative high olivine/pyroxene ratio, with the pyroxene being chiefly Mg-rich Low-Ca pyroxene (LCP). The rock fragment has a similar Mg-rich composition to that of the regolith. According to the surrounding topographic and geologic context, though originating from the lower base of a differentiated melt pool cannot be excluded here, the rover observed regolith and rock fragment are very likely to be lunar mantle materials excavated from nearby Finsen crater.