月球火山活动及热演化历史研究进展

Advances in the Study of Lunar Volcanism and Thermal Evolution

火山喷发和岩浆侵入活动是月球最主要的内动力地质作用。自阿波罗计划实施以来,新的遥感探测数据和样品研究显示,月球的火山活动时限可从40亿年前延续到十几亿年前,月海玄武岩化学性质复杂,挥发分可能参与了月球环形凹陷穹丘和不规则月海斑块的形成。嫦娥5号样品研究确认了月球火山活动至少延续到了距今20亿年左右,而这些年轻火山岩源区可能并不富集克里普元素,且水含量也不高。目前月球火山学研究的主要问题包括:何种机制导致月球的火山活动能够持续发生?如何解释风暴洋克里普地体及月球演化模型中克里普组分的意义?月球内部月幔性质的横向不均一性,以及水等挥发性组分在月球热演化历史中的作用等,这都是未来月球科学探测应该关注的重要主题。

Volcanic eruption and magmatic intrusion are the main endogenic geological processes on the Moon.Since the Apollo program,newly obtained remote sensing data and sample analysis have shown that the lunar volcanic activity lasted from 4 billion to more than 1 billion years ago.The chemical compositions of lunar basalts are complex,and volatiles may have played a major role in the formation of the lunar ring moat-dome structures and irregular mare patches.Chang’e-5 samples confirmed that lunar volcanism continued at least 2 billion years ago,and that the mantle source of these young basalts is not rich in KREEP or water.The main remaining significant questions in lunar volcanology include:what are the mechanisms responsible for the persistence of lunar volcanic activity?How to explain the significance of the Procellarum-KREEP-Terrane and its role in the lunar evolution?The lateral heterogeneity of the lunar mantle and the role of volatile components in the thermal evolution of the Moon are important topics for future lunar exploration.