Project Description: Volcanic samples from the Moon provide valuable information about the chemistry of their magmatic sources in the mantle, as well as the conditions under which they erupted and were emplaced on the lunar surface. Recent studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of combining mineralogical and petrological analyses with advanced techniques for analyzing highly and moderately volatile elements (such as H2O and Cl) to better understand these processes (e.g., Barnes et al., 2014; Wilbur et al., 2023). This project will focus on the laboratory analysis of volcanic samples from Mare Crisium and Mare Fecunditatis. The findings will be contextualized within existing research on Apollo samples, lunar meteorites, and the youngest basalts from the Moon returned by the recent Chang'e 5 and 6 robotic missions. The results will also help enhance our understanding of the distribution of volatiles in the lunar interior prior to the return of samples by the Artemis program in the late 2020s
NASA Relevance: This work centers on scientific exploration of the Moon and aligns with NASA's solar system workings program.
Work Description: The intern will collect textural, chemical, and isotopic data on the samples. The intern will learn how to process and interpret the geochemical data collected. The intern will contribute the preparation of a manuscript.
Open or Reserved Project: 1 position reserved, but will consider new student if requested student not awarded.