The Aristarchus-Harbinger region of the moon: Surface geology and history from recent remote-sensing observations

Zisk, S. H.; Hodges, C. A.; Moore, H. J.; Shorthill, R. W.; Thompson, T. W.; Whitaker, E. A.; Wilhelms, D. E.

doi:10.1007/bf00566853

Cited by 81 publications

(101 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Our 70 cm data reveal the outlines of an extensive basalt complex on the plateau, inferred from the boundaries of a higher-radar-return region (Fig. 3) that includes smooth areas previously mapped as mantled mare and some terrain mapped as "hummocky" by Zisk et al (1977). The mare-floored area is covered by pyroclastics, but the 70 cm echoes are similar to those of mare deposits southwest of the plateau.…”

Section: Plateau Volcanic Historymentioning

confidence: 61%

“…Fine-grained pyroclastics represent a small fraction of the erupted magma volume, so the large area covered and inferred thickness imply some combination of flow complexes beneath the mantling material and discharge of lava into the nearby lowlands (Weitz et al, 1998). The presence of basalt flows beneath the pyroclastic mantle was suggested by Zisk et al (1977) for areas of the plateau that appear smooth at the kilometer scale; these flows were contemporaneous with the earliest pyroclastic eruptions, and thus mantled only by the latest of the firefountain materials. Analysis of Clementine data confirmed the presence of mare material in the walls of Vallis Schröteri and some small craters (McEwen et al, 1994).…”

Section: Plateau Volcanic Historymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…4) shows almost no small craters that excavate low-iron highland materials in the areas mapped by Zisk et al (1977) as mantled basalt, in contrast to numerous such craters across the northwest portion of the plateau. Within the additional area of mantled basalt suggested by the radar data, there is a sparse population of small, low-FeO patches that may be craters or highland massifs.…”

Section: Plateau Volcanic Historymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The loss properties are determined by the composition of the lunar material, with greater amounts of ilmenite, in particular, leading to greater attenuation of the incident signal (Carrier et al, 1991;Campbell et al, 1997). Radar studies show that lunar pyroclastics have very low backscatter due to their low volume rock abundance, and perhaps to greater microwave losses (Zisk et al, 1977;Gaddis et al, 1985). This is most evident along the southwestern flank of the Plateau, where the low 12.6 cm and 70 cm radar echoes (Figs.…”

Section: Remote Sensing Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hummocky outcrops are particularly evident where they follow the rim of a 55 km degraded impact crater. The thickness of the pyroclastics in the radar-dark parts of the plateau may be estimated from the smallest young craters that excavate rocky (radar bright) debris, and from the morphology of partially filled old craters (Zisk et al, 1977;McEwen et al, 1994). In the northwest and west parts of the plateau, ancient craters as small as 100 m in diameter, D, remain visible in Lunar Orbiter photos, though mostly filled by mantling material.…”

Section: Plateau Volcanic Historymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Volcanic and impact deposits of the Moon's Aristarchus Plateau: A new view from Earth-based radar images

Campbell¹,

Carter²,

Hawke³

et al. 2008

Geol

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Lunar pyroclastic deposits reflect an explosive stage of tlie basaltic volcanism that filled impact basins across the nearside. These fine-grained mantUng layers are of interest for their association with early mare volcanic processes, and as possible sources of volatiles and other species for lunar outposts. We present Earth-based radar images, at 12.6 and 70 cm wavelengths, of the pyroclastic deposit that blankets the Aristarchus Plateau. The 70 cm data reveal the outlines of a lava-flow complex that covers a signiflcant portion of the plateau and appears to have formed by spillover of magma from the large sinuous rille Vallis Schröteri. The pyroclastics mantling these flows are heavily contaminated with rocks 10 cm and larger in diameter. The 12.6 cm data confirm that other areas are mantled by 20 m or less of material, and that there are numerous patches of 2 cm and larger rocks associated with éjecta from Aristarchus crater. Some of the radar-detected rocky debris is within the mantling material and is not evident in visible-wavelength images. The radar data identify thick, rock-poor areas of the pyroclastic deposit best suited for resource exploitation.

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Section: Plateau Volcanic Historymentioning

confidence: 61%

Section: Plateau Volcanic Historymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Plateau Volcanic Historymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Remote Sensing Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Plateau Volcanic Historymentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Volcanic and impact deposits of the Moon's Aristarchus Plateau: A new view from Earth-based radar images

Campbell¹,

Carter²,

Hawke³

et al. 2008

Geol

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Pyroclastic flow deposits on Venus as indicators of renewed magmatic activity

et al. 2017

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Radar bright deposits on Venus that have diffuse margins suggest eruptions that distribute debris over large areas due to ground‐hugging flows from plume collapse. We examine deposits in eastern Eistla, western Eistla, Phoebe, and Dione Regiones using Magellan data and Earth‐based radar maps. The radar bright units have no marginal lobes or other features consistent with viscous flow. Their morphology, radar echo strength, polarization properties, and microwave emissivity are consistent with mantling deposits composed of few centimeters or larger clasts. This debris traveled downhill up to ~100 km on modest slopes and blanketed lava flows and tectonic features to depths of tens of centimeters to a few meters over areas up to 40 × 103 km2. There is evidence for ongoing removal and exhumation of previously buried terrain. A newly identified occurrence is associated with a ridge belt south of Ushas Mons. We also note radar bright streaks of coarse material west of Rona Chasma that reflect the last traces of a deposit mobilized by winds from the formation of Mirabeau crater. If the radar bright units originate by the collapse of eruption columns, with coarse fragmental material entrained and fluidized by hot gases, then their extent suggests large erupted volatile (CO2 or H2O) amounts. We propose that these deposits reflect the early stage of renewed magmatic activity, with volatile‐rich, disrupted magma escaping through vents in fractured regions of the upper crust. Rapidly eroding under Venus surface conditions or buried by subsequent eruptions, these markers of recently renewed activity have disappeared from older regions.

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Large shield volcanoes on the Moon

2013

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[1] The volcanic style of the Moon has long been understood to consist almost exclusively of flood basalts erupted from fissures along with minor pyroclastic activity; large central vent shield volcanoes that characterize basaltic volcanism on the other terrestrial planets appeared to be absent. Small (few kilometers diameter) central vent constructs have long been recognized in the lunar maria and often are found clustered in fields throughout the lunar maria. New global topographic data from the LOLA and LROC instruments on LRO reveal that almost all of these volcanic complexes on the Moon occur on large, regional topographic rises in the lunar maria, tens to hundreds of kilometers in extent and between several hundred to several thousand meters high. We propose that these topographic swells are shield volcanoes and are the lunar equivalents of the large basaltic shields found on the Earth, Venus, and Mars. The newly recognized lunar shields are found peripheral to the large, deeply flooded impact basins Imbrium and Serenitatis, suggesting a genetic relation to those features. Loading of the lithosphere by these basalt-filled basins may be responsible for inducing a combination of flexural and membrane stress, inducing a pressure distribution on vertically oriented dikes favorable to magma ascent. This condition would occur in a zone annular to the large circular loads produced by the basins, where the shield volcanoes occur.

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The Aristarchus-Harbinger region of the moon: Surface geology and history from recent remote-sensing observations

Cited by 81 publications

References 29 publications

Volcanic and impact deposits of the Moon's Aristarchus Plateau: A new view from Earth-based radar images

Volcanic and impact deposits of the Moon's Aristarchus Plateau: A new view from Earth-based radar images

Pyroclastic flow deposits on Venus as indicators of renewed magmatic activity

Large shield volcanoes on the Moon

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