Geologic Mapping and Reconstruction of the Volcanic and Tectonic History of the Mare Vaporum Region to Assess Resource Potential

Returning to the lunar surface is a key objective for several nations with the goal of addressing scientific questions and assessing potential resources that could enable future exploration on and beyond the Moon. To identify areas of high scientific value and potential resources, such as regolith and pyroclastic deposits rich in metals, oxides, water, helium-3, and/or other volatiles, it is essential to understand the geologic context. One area of interest is the Mare Vaporum region, to the east of Rima Bode. Thus, we produced a new, higher-resolution geologic map of the Mare Vaporum region at a mapping scale of 1:125,000 and digitalization scale of 1:500,000, which illustrates that the Mare Vaporum region is a promising candidate for in situ resource utilization due to the presence of two distinct pyroclastic deposits with potentially different source regions. Our new map allowed us to define the geological history of the region, including determining the chronological sequence of volcanic and tectonic activity. For example, we found that graben in the study region formed until at least 3.2 Ga, indicating that extensional stress continued into more recent periods than previously assumed. The Mare Vaporum region offers favorable conditions for a future landing due to its location on the lunar nearside, the Eratosthenian age of the main mare unit, which results in relatively low crater density and, therefore, a reduced landing hazard, shallow slopes, and a low abundance of boulders.