Research On Distribution Characteristics Of Lunar Fault And Wrinkle Ridge

Circular and linear tectonics are two major types of tectonics on lunar surface.Tectonic characteristics are of significance for researching about lunar geological evolution.Linear tectonics refers to those structures extending linearly on a lunar surface.Their distribution are closely related to the internal geological actions of the moon.Linear tectonics can integrally or locally express the structural feature and the stress status as well as showing the geological information of the interior of the moon.Faults and wrinkle ridges are of the largest number and are of a certain distribution regularity among the linear tectonics,and are always the focus of domestic and overseas lunar tectonic research.Soviet Union,America,Japan,India and other countries obtain a large number of high quality data from multiple new lunar exploration satellites which were launched to provide a greatly help for studying the lunar surface tectonics from the last century till now.Based on remote sensing geology and theory of traditional tectonic geology,this paper uses a variety of remote sensing data processing to establish lunar linear tectonic interpretation keys with lunar spectral,terrain and gravity data.On this basis,interpreting of faults of the whole moon was primarily conducted from Chang'e-2 CCD image data(scale of 1:2,500,000),and also different scale image data(such as scale of 1:1,000,000)secondary and reference to wide-angle camera(WAC)data of LROC,laser altimeter data of LOLA and gravity data of GRAIL.Statistical analysis of the number and distribution characteristics of whole lunar faults are counted from three latitude ranges of low,middle and high latitudes,then analyze the azimuth characteristics of the faults at different latitudes.We concluded that S-N direction is a relatively developed orientation at low latitudes.Middle latitudes reveal six preferred orientations of N-E,N-W,NN-E,NN-W,N-EE and N-WW direction.There are sparse faults of E-W direction distribution at low and middle latitudes.Meanwhile,the largest number of faults of E-W direction on lunar surface are mainly distributed along high latitudes with continuity and regularity.Analyzing the formation age of faults from relative age and absolute age.Determining the relative age of faults based on the relationship of cross,truncation and superposition.Identifying the absolute age of Rima Hesiodus was Upper Eratosthenian Epoch through the method of crater size-frequency distribution.Analyzing faults of Mare Imbrium by the method of Euler deconvolution.The result show that there are two different kinds of faults in Mare Imbrium.On this basis,we explored the dynamics mechanism of the formation of the lunar faults.Based on the previous studies of lunar wrinkle ridge,we analyzed the formation age and mechanisms of wrinkle ridge further.Selection of the typical example of wrinkle ridges from six areas which are Oceanus Procellarum,Mare Imbrium,Mare Serenitatis,Mare Crisium,Mare Frigoris and Mare Cognitum,then finally ascertaining their ages through the method of crater size-frequency distribution.According to the distribution of wrinkle ridge with lunar maria group characteristics and stratigraphic age of mare basin,it can be speculated that the lunar wrinkle ridges are formed after the basalts filled.Wrinkle ridge is a major linear tectonic on lunar surface.Currently,the mechanisms of wrinkle ridge can be explained by two conclusions: volcanism and tectonism,and facts have proved that the mechanisms of both volcanism and tectonism do exist.This paper delves into detail about the two genetic types of wrinkle ridge respectively and offers the basis on which the whole lunar wrinkle ridges are classified.Specifically,wrinkle ridges of tectonism are available from Upper Imbrian Epoch to Later Eratosthenian Epoch,and wrinkle ridges of volcanism are formed in Upper Imbrian Epoch.