Isotopic evidence for volatile loss driven by South Pole-Aitken basin-forming impact.

ABSTRACT: Recent studies suggest that the lunar farside experienced a magma ocean evolution similar to that of the nearside. Thus, the nearside-farside dichotomy, such as volcanism and crustal thickness, is likely related to the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin-forming impact. Although the noritic clasts found in Chang'e-6 (CE6) samples may originate from crustal remelting induced by the SPA impact, how (and whether) the lunar mantle was modified by this event remains unclear. Here, we present the first high-precision iron (Fe) and potassium (K) isotopic measurements of CE6 low-Ti basalts, revealing higher δ⁵⁶Fe (0.13 to 0.21‰) and δ⁴¹K (0 to 0.09‰) in these basalts compared to their Apollo and Chang'e-5 (CE5) counterparts (δ⁵⁶Fe: 0 to 0.11‰; δ⁴¹K: -0.29 to -

SUBMITTER: Tian HC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12818409 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature