The origin of the high-TiO2 region near the Manilius and Hyginus craters within Mare Vaporum on the Moon

Abstract

Finding and utilizing the resources of the Moon is becoming more important with the prospect of human outposts on our planets satellite. When selecting a landing site, ilmenite, the main carrier of TiO${}_2$ on the Moon, is a key target due to its potential for oxygen extraction and because ilmenite traps ${}^3$He most effectively among the lunar minerals. The large dark mantle deposit in Mare Vaporum is one of the TiO${}_2$ richest areas on the Moon. Furthermore, dark haloed impact craters around Manilius crater within the Mare Vaporum region are surrounded by ejecta material with increased TiO${}_2$ abundance, making the larger region an important target for further scrutiny. In this work, we study this region to (1) assess the distribution of potential resources, (2) determine the formation mechanisms and (3) evaluate the suitability for establishing a human outpost. We use spectral parameters in the near-infrared wavelength range to determine the abundances of the major elements as well as glasses. Dark mantle deposits show higher glass and TiO${}_2$ abundances, while the surface surrounding the dark haloed impact craters only show increased TiO${}_2$. From a resource perspective, dark mantle deposits are of special interest because ${}^3$He bubbles form in the glasses, which require less energy to be extracted. Additionally, we use polarimetric observations to infer the relative grain sizes of the study area. It shows that the regolith of the region of interest is more coarsely grained, which in turn is characteristic for fresher or glassy material. Finally, digital elevation models show that the dark mantle deposit is characterized by steeper slopes compared to the terrain surrounding the dark haloed impact craters, which makes it challenging to land directly in the dark mantle deposit. After formation of the dark mantle deposits, ejecta and residue lead to a degradation of the north-western part of the dark mantle deposit, contributing to the U-shape observed today. The Rima Hyginus and Hyginus crater were formed by volcanic processes.