Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-10-2013

Abstract

We have conducted spectral and spatial analysis of the Compton-Belkovich Thorium Anomaly (61.1°N, 99.5°E) region on the far side of the Moon based on high-resolution data from recent lunar missions. Chandrayaan-1 Moon Mincralogy Mapper data of Compton-Belkovich volcanic complex (CBVC) reveal the existence of a strong doublet feature near 2800 nm throughout the volcanic construct, which could be at- tributed to the presence of water and/or hydroxyl in he studied site. Very high resolution Lunar Recon- naissance Orbiter Camera-Narrow Angle Camera mosaic of the study area shows that the strongest of he hydration features within the CBVC is primarily related with either sunlit inner flanks of small-sized fresh craters or fresh cscarpments associated with the entral collapse structurc. Morcover, Mini-RF Syn- thetic Aperture Radar data from Lunar Reconnais- sance Orbiter mission suggests the presence of a thick pyroclastic deposit in the volcanic complex. Our study indicates that the enhanced hydration at CBVC could possibly have originated from the episodic events of eruption and effusion involving silicic magma, which could probably be responsible for the tapping of a zoned magma body with a water-rich cap. Morphol- ogy of CBVC also confirms the presence of episodic e effusive and eruptive events that probably had led to the formation of elevated topography, central col- lapsed feature and late eruptive domes in the study area.

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