NASA’s Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) provided detailed mineralogical maps of the lunar surface at high spatial and spectral resolutions when it flew on India’s first mission to the Moon, Chandrayaan-1. PSI Senior Scientist Matthew Staid is a member of the M3 Science Team and is studying the geologic history of the last major phases of lunar volcanism.
Shown above is a mosaic of M3 data from the lunar nearside at reduced scale that captures the diverse geology of the Moon’s volcanic plains (orange to red) and rugged highlands (blue to green) using measurements in dozens of wavelengths of light sensitive to the mineralogy of the lunar surface. The volcanic flows on the western nearside appear distinctly red in this M3 parameter image due to unique olivine, iron and titanium-rich compositions that are not observed in earlier lunar basalts.
The image above of Lichtenberg Crater (20 kilometers in diameter) is shown at the full spatial resolution of M3. Late stage lunar volcanism is visible as a distinct red hue in this M3 color composite where it appears to embay and post-date ejecta from the Lichtenberg impact.
Images are modified from Staid et al., Journal of Geophysical Research, 2011
