The Scientific Value of a Sustained Exploration Program at the Aristarchus Plateau

Abstract

Abstract The Aristarchus plateau hosts a diversity of volcanic features, including the largest pyroclastic deposit on the Moon, the largest sinuous rille on the Moon, and intrusive and extrusive examples of evolved, Th-rich silicic lithologies. We provide an overview of previous remote-sensing measurements of the Aristarchus plateau and provide new analyses of Diviner Lunar Radiometer thermal IR data, Lunar Prospector Gamma Ray Spectrometer Th data, Chang’e-5 Microwave Radiometer data, and hyperspectral and multispectral visible/near-infrared images and spectra from the Chandrayaan-1 Moon Mineralogy Mapper and the Kaguya Multispectral Imager. The rich diversity of volcanic features on the Aristarchus plateau presents an opportunity for a sustained science and exploration program. We suggest a series of missions to the Aristarchus crater floor or ejecta, the Cobra Head, and Herodotus Mons to investigate the link between pyroclastic, effusive basaltic, and silicic volcanism in the region. Such missions would enable analyses of silicic rocks that are rare in the Apollo sample collection and demonstrate in situ resource utilization of FeO- and H2O-bearing pyroclastic materials.