Oceanus Procellarum tagged posts

Exotic Clasts in Chang’e-5 Samples indicate Unexplored Terrane on Moon

Exotic clasts in Chang'e-5 samples indicate unexplored terrane on moon
Graphical depiction of exotic igneous clasts in Chang’e-5 lunar regolith. Credit: IGCAS

The Chang’e-5 mission touched down in the Mons Rümker region of the northern Oceanus Procellarum of the moon and returned 1.731 kg of lunar regolith. Recognizing exotic clasts (i.e., non-Chang’e-5 locally derived materials) in the Chang’e-5 regolith could provide critical information about the lithological diversity and regolith gardening process in the young mare region of the moon.

Recently, Dr. Zeng Xiaojia, Prof. Li Xiongyao and Prof. Liu Jianzhong from the Institute of Geochemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IGCAS) have identified seven exotic igneous clasts in Chang’e-5 samples from more than 3,000 of Chang’e-5 regolith particles.

This work was published in Nature Astronomy on ...

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