The Apollo basin on the Moon: Assessment of its stratigraphic position, absolute model age, and relationships with the Moon's farside volcanic activity

我们项目的主要目标是建立阿波罗盆地（35 oS，150 oW）与月球背面火山活动的关系，特别是南极-艾特肯（SPA）盆地。我们将调查月球上阿波罗盆地的区域地质、形态、地层位置和绝对模型年龄。特别是，我们将准备一份详细的盆地内部和周围地形的地质图，范围在10- 60 oS，125- 175 oW之间。一级结果将是根据详细地质测绘结果对阿波罗盆地地层位置的改进。绝对模型年龄，我们从陨石坑的大小频率分布测量将用于比较的盆地年龄与SPA内的其他盆地的年龄。最后，这些结果将允许阿波罗盆地内外的火山地形的类型，范围，地层和绝对模型年龄的范围的确定。以下问题对于了解月球火山历史的各个方面至关重要，这些问题可以通过对阿波罗盆地及其周围环境的详细摄影地质学分析来解决。为什么SPA盆地内古老而广阔的薄地壳区域与Oceanus Procellarum区域相比，火山活动的证据很少？SPA盆地内火山活动的年龄（或年龄范围），特别是与阿波罗盆地有关的火山活动的年龄是多少？从盆地形成到其内部和附近的熔岩平原就位之间的时间差是多少？什么因素控制了阿波罗地区爆发性（火山碎屑沉积物）和喷发性（熔岩平原）火山活动的空间分离？

The major goal of our project is establishing relationships of the Apollo basin (35oS, 150oW) with the volcanic activity on the farside of the Moon and particularly the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin. We will investigate the regional geology, morphology, stratigraphic position, and absolute model ages of the Apollo basin on the Moon. In particular, we will prepare a detailed geologic map of the basin interior and the surrounding terrains in an area between 10-60oS, 125-175oW. The first-order results will be a refinement of the stratigraphic position of the Apollo basin based on the results of the detailed geological mapping. Absolute model ages we derive from crater size-frequency distribution measurements will be used for comparison of the basin age with the ages of other basins within SPA. Finally, these results will allow the determination of the types, extent, stratigraphy, and range of absolute model ages of the volcanic terrains inside and outside the Apollo basin. The following questions are of key importance for the understanding of various aspects of the lunar volcanic history and these can be addressed by detailed photogeological analyses of the Apollo basin and its surroundings. Why does the ancient and large region of the thinner crust inside the SPA basin show only little evidence for volcanic activity in comparison with the Oceanus Procellarum region? What is the age (or range of ages) of volcanism within the SPA basin and, in particular, in association with the Apollo basin? What is the time lag between the formation of the basin and the emplacement of lava plains in its interior and vicinity? What factors controlled the spatial separation of explosive (pyroclastic deposits) and effusive (lava plains) volcanism in the Apollo region?