Crystal storage and transfer in lunar magmatic systems (Summary to follow)

This project will investigate magmatic processes recorded by lunar lavas sampled by the Apollo astronauts. The Moon records volcanism on a small rocky terrestrial planet. Lunar lavas were erupted between ~4.35 and 3 billion years ago, with some areas maybe being volcanically active as recently as 1 billion years ago. Mare basalts provide us with critical insights to the thermal history of the Moon and the chemical diversity of the lunar mantle. These lavas were sourced from partial melting of different regions of the lunar mantle, giving rise to a range of chemical affiliations, petrological and crystallisation histories.

We seek to investigate the magmatic history of the crystals carried by these lunar lavas, using petrographic and mineral chemistry techniques to investigate crystal mush formation, disaggregation and crystal entrainment in magmas as they are transported from depth to the lunar surface. We aim to calculate crystal residence timescales in magmatic mush horizons and the carrier liquids that transported these crystals to the surface, and to calculate ascent rates for different lunar magmas. Do lunar magmas stall and crystallise in crustal magmachambers, or propagate rapidly to the lunar surface? Do they assimilate crustal material?

What can the magmatic histories of lunar crystals tell us about magma ascent? What can this tell us about magmatic plumbing systems and volcanic eruption styles in different regions of the Moon?

The project will involve usingmicroscope and electron microprobe, to examine the textures and mineral compositions of lunar samples. Crystal size distributions, and
phases, will be used to identify signatures of crystal mush entrainment in lunar magmas. Diffusion modelling in zoned crystals will be used to calculate crystal residence timescales and magma ascent rates.