Derivation of a new lunar geologic map for understanding lunar evolution

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26287107
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Solid earth and planetary physics
• Research Institution: Japan Aerospace EXploration Agency
• Principal Investigator: OHTAKE Makiko 国立研究開発法人宇宙航空研究開発機構, 宇宙科学研究所, 助教 (30373442)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 諸田 智克 名古屋大学, 環境学研究科, 講師 (30415898) ; 本田 親寿 会津大学, コンピュータ理工学部, 准教授 (40435805)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): KIMURA Jun 大阪大学, 理学研究科, 助教 (00536138) ; KOBAYASHI Naoki 国立研究開発法人宇宙航空研究開発機構, 宇宙科学研究所, 助教 (30272660) ; KAROUGI Yuzuru 国立研究開発法人 宇宙航空研究開発機構, 宇宙探査イノベーションハブ, 研究開発員 (00454108) ; HAREYAMA Makoto 聖マリアンナ医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (60327286) ; HIRATA Naru 会津大学, コンピューター理工学部, 准教授 (80372655) ; ISHIHARA Yoshiaki 国立研究開発法人 宇宙航空研究開発機構, 宇宙科学研究所, 研究開発員 (80400232) ; NAGAOKA Hiroshi 早稲田大学, 理工学術院, 次席研究員 (10707805) ; KAMATA Shunishi 北海道大学, 理学(系)研究科(研究院), 特任助教 (40723474)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 月の進化 / 地質図 / かぐや / 数値解析的手法

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The current lunar global geological map was generated in 1980’s. It has been used widely and contributed greatly to the lunar science. The goal of this study is to generate new global lunar geological map, which includes new rock types we found from recent lunar exploration data, and to understand the lunar evolution history based on that.
Firstly, we generated a geological unit map based on the SELENE (Kaguya) Spectral Profiler data by applying mathematical analyses method. Then, we evaluated and gave geologic interpretations to the units and generated the global lunar geologic map. And from the map, we found that total surface area of the old mare hidden under the surface layer (or crustal intrusion of basaltic composition) is significantly (max. 2 times) higher than the previous estimation. This finding is very important to understand volcanic history of the Moon. We submitted a paper discussing our results and it is currently under the revision.

Free Research Field

月惑星科学