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Geothermometric insights from pyroxenes group mineral chemistry in Mare Ingenii: tracing lunar volcanism of the region.

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Title: Geothermometric insights from pyroxenes group mineral chemistry in Mare Ingenii: tracing lunar volcanism of the region.
Authors: Neeraja, CR1 (AUTHOR) neerajarajan577@gmail.com, Arivazhagan, S1 (AUTHOR) arivusv@gmail.com
Source: Advances in Space Research. May2026, Vol. 77 Issue 9, p9840-9858. 19p.
Subjects: Pyroxene, Thermometry, Impact craters, Basalt, Moon, Lunar surface, Crystallization
Abstract: • Mare Ingenii, within the SPA basin, offers a valuable window into farside volcanic processes and mantle evolution. • In the study, pyroxene chemistry analysis has been performed for Mare Ingenii basaltic units. • Thermometric plot reveal three crystallization trends, indicating diverse melt sources. • Estimated age are compared with pyroxene compositions to investigate temporal variations in basaltic units. • Evolution from Fe-rich, low-Ca basalts in older units (3.8 Ga) to Ca-rich, evolved compositions in younger units (2.3 Ga). Mare Ingenii is an impact basin located within the South Pole Aitken (SPA) basin on the Moon's farside. It has experienced a complex geological history marked by multiple episodes of impact modification and volcanic resurfacing. The present study investigates the mineralogical and chemical variations of basaltic units in Mare Ingenii using high-resolution remote sensing dataset from recent lunar missions. Specifically, data from the Chandrayaan-1 Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) and the Chandrayaan-2 Imaging Infrared Spectrometer (IIRS) were utilized. Spectral analyses were conducted to characterize pyroxene mineralogy across individual units, which were then correlated with model age data to interpret the basin's volcanic evolution. The Band Center II (BCII) vs. Band Center I (BCI) and Band Area Ratio (BAR) vs. BCI plots reveal that most units align with the clinopyroxene compositional trend with variations in calcium and iron content pointing to multiple stages of magmatic evolution. Further analysis using the pyroxene quadrilateral and thermometry plots indicates three dominant crystallization trends and three outlier units with temperatures ranging from 900 to 1200 °C. Pyroxene thermometry and quadrilateral projections reveal three dominant crystallization trends and a range of formation temperatures between 900 °C and 1200 °C. These trends suggest the presence of compositionally distinct magma sources, along with progressive differentiation processes over time. The pyroxene compositions also align well with unit chronologies, showing a temporal shift from the oldest Fe-rich, low-Ca basalts unit (∼3.8 Ga) to younger, Ca-rich, more evolved magmas (∼2.8 Ga). This progression reflects multiple volcanic episodes, mantle source heterogeneity, and localized geological influences, including rille-related activity and impact-driven modifications. Overall, the findings highlight the compositional complexity and extended magmatic evolution of Mare Ingenii within the broader context of farside lunar volcanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Abstract:• Mare Ingenii, within the SPA basin, offers a valuable window into farside volcanic processes and mantle evolution. • In the study, pyroxene chemistry analysis has been performed for Mare Ingenii basaltic units. • Thermometric plot reveal three crystallization trends, indicating diverse melt sources. • Estimated age are compared with pyroxene compositions to investigate temporal variations in basaltic units. • Evolution from Fe-rich, low-Ca basalts in older units (3.8 Ga) to Ca-rich, evolved compositions in younger units (2.3 Ga). Mare Ingenii is an impact basin located within the South Pole Aitken (SPA) basin on the Moon's farside. It has experienced a complex geological history marked by multiple episodes of impact modification and volcanic resurfacing. The present study investigates the mineralogical and chemical variations of basaltic units in Mare Ingenii using high-resolution remote sensing dataset from recent lunar missions. Specifically, data from the Chandrayaan-1 Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) and the Chandrayaan-2 Imaging Infrared Spectrometer (IIRS) were utilized. Spectral analyses were conducted to characterize pyroxene mineralogy across individual units, which were then correlated with model age data to interpret the basin's volcanic evolution. The Band Center II (BCII) vs. Band Center I (BCI) and Band Area Ratio (BAR) vs. BCI plots reveal that most units align with the clinopyroxene compositional trend with variations in calcium and iron content pointing to multiple stages of magmatic evolution. Further analysis using the pyroxene quadrilateral and thermometry plots indicates three dominant crystallization trends and three outlier units with temperatures ranging from 900 to 1200 °C. Pyroxene thermometry and quadrilateral projections reveal three dominant crystallization trends and a range of formation temperatures between 900 °C and 1200 °C. These trends suggest the presence of compositionally distinct magma sources, along with progressive differentiation processes over time. The pyroxene compositions also align well with unit chronologies, showing a temporal shift from the oldest Fe-rich, low-Ca basalts unit (∼3.8 Ga) to younger, Ca-rich, more evolved magmas (∼2.8 Ga). This progression reflects multiple volcanic episodes, mantle source heterogeneity, and localized geological influences, including rille-related activity and impact-driven modifications. Overall, the findings highlight the compositional complexity and extended magmatic evolution of Mare Ingenii within the broader context of farside lunar volcanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:02731177
DOI:10.1016/j.asr.2026.03.019