Potential Geological Information of Mare Basalts in Mare Serenitatis Using CELMS Data

Abstract

Mare Serenitatis (28°N, 17.5°E) has undergone intricate volcanic events, leading to the deposition of basaltic lava flows from various stages in the basin. This study presents prospective geological insights into the mare basalts within Mare Serenitatis by using data from the Chang’E-2 Lunar Microwave Sounder (CELMS), thereby aiding in enhancing comprehension of magma dynamics, thermal evolution, and volcanic activities. The following are the results obtained from this study: 1) the potential geological information in Mare Serenitatis was analyzed using brightness temperature (TB), identifying potential connections between deep-seated units within the basin; 2) the distribution and causes of TB anomalies in Mare Serenitatis were investigated, revealing that daytime hot anomalies mainly occur at its southern rim, with TiO2 abundance (TA) being the primary influencing factor. The nighttime cold anomalies appear near several craters and extend with depth; and 3) an untypical TB anomaly was observed in the central region of Mare Serenitatis, exhibiting lower TB at daytime and higher TB at nighttime. This study suggests the presence of a material with a lower loss tangent on the surface of the central region of Mare Serenitatis and suggests that this material is related to Mg-rich rock.