Abstract
The central peaks of Copernicus are among the few lunar areas where near‐infrared telescopic reflectance spectra indicate extensive exposures of olivine. Other parts of Copernicus crater and ejecta, which were derived from highland units in the upper parts Of the target site, contain only low‐Ca pyroxene as a mafic mineral. The exposure of compositionally distinct layers including the presence of extensive olivine may result from penetration to an anomalously deep layer of the crust or to the lunar mantle. We suggest that the Procellarum basin and the younger, superposed Insularum basin have provided access to these normally deep‐seated crustal or mantle materials by thinning the upper crustal material early in lunar history. The occurrences of olivine in portions of the compositionally heterogeneous Aristarchus Region, in a related geologic setting, may be due to the same sequence of early events.
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