Stratigraphic studies of the boundary region between Mare Serenitatis and Mare Tranquillitatis

Kurzfassung

In the Mare Serenitatis/Mare Tranquillitatis border area different geological basalts of two maria are closely deposited surrounded by the Montes Haemus and Taurus-Littrow highlands. The Plinius and Dawes impacts have probed these basalts and the nearby Apollo 17 landing site provided groud-truth. An ideal region on the Moon for investigating complex geological settings. Telescopic spectra in the VIS to NIR wavelength have been sampled at specific locations. Comparison of these spectral data with measurements in the same wavelength range of returned Apollo samples yield chemical information of the geological deposits in the considered area. The Plinius impact has penetrated the basaltic layers and exhibits anorthositic highland material in its central peak. The floors and rims of Plinius and Dawes contain basalts which are chemically different from the uppermost lava deposits hit by the impacts. The Dawes impact has also penetrated layers but has not reached the underlying highland materials of the buried basin rim. However floor and rim materials show similarities with Mare Serenitatis basalts suggesting that a defined stratigraphic sequence is established on the lava flooded rim crest of the two basins. This is supported by age estimations based on crater counts of distinct basalt units in this area. Dawes has penetrated at least two and Plinius three lava units.