Ultra‐Thick Paleoregolith Layer Detected by Lunar Penetrating Radar: Implication for Fast Regolith Formation Between 3.6 and 2.35 Ga
Abstract Lunar paleoregolith was formed by repeated asteroid impact and space weathering and then buried by later lava flows, serving as important records for early solar system history. However, direct observational evidence for the paleoregolith layer is rather limited. We present the evidence for...
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| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Geophysical Research Letters |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL095282 |
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| author | Tieyuan Zhu Jinhai Zhang Yangting Lin |
| author_facet | Tieyuan Zhu Jinhai Zhang Yangting Lin |
| author_sort | Tieyuan Zhu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Lunar paleoregolith was formed by repeated asteroid impact and space weathering and then buried by later lava flows, serving as important records for early solar system history. However, direct observational evidence for the paleoregolith layer is rather limited. We present the evidence for the existence of the paleoregolith layer by processing 60 MHz lunar penetrating radar data acquired by the Chang’E‐3 Yutu rover. We find successive reflections with reversed polarities due to a low permittivity (paleoregolith) layer sandwiched in two high permittivity (lava) layers. From modeling and migration imaging of radar reflections, we determine an ultra‐thick paleoregolith layer (∼5–9 m) beneath the Eratosthenian unit and on the top of the Imbrian unit, suggesting a high regolith production rate of 5.8–10.5 m/Ga between late Imbrian and early Eratosthenian periods compared to the previous estimation ∼2 m/Ga, implying fast regolith formation and possible high meteoric flux during these periods. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-79fc895cc2e74e95afddf614d285aa3c |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 0094-8276 1944-8007 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geophysical Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-79fc895cc2e74e95afddf614d285aa3c2025-08-20T03:22:14ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072021-10-014820n/an/a10.1029/2021GL095282Ultra‐Thick Paleoregolith Layer Detected by Lunar Penetrating Radar: Implication for Fast Regolith Formation Between 3.6 and 2.35 GaTieyuan Zhu0Jinhai Zhang1Yangting Lin2Department of Geosciences The Pennsylvania State University Philadelphia PA USAKey laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics Institute of Geology and Geophysics Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing ChinaKey laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics Institute of Geology and Geophysics Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing ChinaAbstract Lunar paleoregolith was formed by repeated asteroid impact and space weathering and then buried by later lava flows, serving as important records for early solar system history. However, direct observational evidence for the paleoregolith layer is rather limited. We present the evidence for the existence of the paleoregolith layer by processing 60 MHz lunar penetrating radar data acquired by the Chang’E‐3 Yutu rover. We find successive reflections with reversed polarities due to a low permittivity (paleoregolith) layer sandwiched in two high permittivity (lava) layers. From modeling and migration imaging of radar reflections, we determine an ultra‐thick paleoregolith layer (∼5–9 m) beneath the Eratosthenian unit and on the top of the Imbrian unit, suggesting a high regolith production rate of 5.8–10.5 m/Ga between late Imbrian and early Eratosthenian periods compared to the previous estimation ∼2 m/Ga, implying fast regolith formation and possible high meteoric flux during these periods.https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL095282 |
| spellingShingle | Tieyuan Zhu Jinhai Zhang Yangting Lin Ultra‐Thick Paleoregolith Layer Detected by Lunar Penetrating Radar: Implication for Fast Regolith Formation Between 3.6 and 2.35 Ga Geophysical Research Letters |
| title | Ultra‐Thick Paleoregolith Layer Detected by Lunar Penetrating Radar: Implication for Fast Regolith Formation Between 3.6 and 2.35 Ga |
| title_full | Ultra‐Thick Paleoregolith Layer Detected by Lunar Penetrating Radar: Implication for Fast Regolith Formation Between 3.6 and 2.35 Ga |
| title_fullStr | Ultra‐Thick Paleoregolith Layer Detected by Lunar Penetrating Radar: Implication for Fast Regolith Formation Between 3.6 and 2.35 Ga |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ultra‐Thick Paleoregolith Layer Detected by Lunar Penetrating Radar: Implication for Fast Regolith Formation Between 3.6 and 2.35 Ga |
| title_short | Ultra‐Thick Paleoregolith Layer Detected by Lunar Penetrating Radar: Implication for Fast Regolith Formation Between 3.6 and 2.35 Ga |
| title_sort | ultra thick paleoregolith layer detected by lunar penetrating radar implication for fast regolith formation between 3 6 and 2 35 ga |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL095282 |
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