THE MOON'S ENDURING VITALITY
Seminars
Semester 2
Qian Zhang obtained his PhD in 2022 from University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, with research focused on metamorphism and Dunhuang orogenic belt evolution. In August 2022, he began his postdoctoral research at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, specializing in isotopic and geochronological analysis of lunar samples and micro- area analytical techniques. He is currently a research assistant in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Hong Kong. His work has been published in journals including Nature, Science, Precambrian Research, Science Bulletin, and GSA Bulletin.
Basaltic volcanism is a key indicator of the Moon's intrinsic “vitality”, with its distribution across the nearside and farside exhibiting a clear hemispheric dichotomy. Investigating the duration of lunar volcanic activity is essential for understanding the Moon's thermal evolution. Two major questions remain unresolved regarding the Moon’s intrinsic activity: (1) Is there volcanic activity younger than the 2.0 Ga basalts sampled by Chang’e-5? (2) How long has volcanic activity persisted on the farside of the Moon? This presentation will introduce the latest findings revealed by the isotopic and geochronological studies of China’s Chang’e-5 and Chang’e-6 samples.