Jianzhong Liu

• Chinese Academy of Sciences

The permanently shadowed regions of the lunar South Pole have become a key target for international lunar exploration due to their unique scientific value and engineering challenges. In order to effectively screen suitable landing zones near the lunar South Pole, this research proposes a comprehensive evaluation method based on a self-organizing ma...

We conducted a detailed study using multi-source data to date the mare activity and lobate scarp formation within the Jules Verne crater on the Moon. In previous studies, the Jules Verne crater has been classified as a pre-Nectarian impact crater. Our analysis indicates that it has an absolute model age (AMA) of 4.21−0.034+0.032 Ga. After its forma...

Nanophase iron (np-Fe) particles in space-weathered lunar regolith are widely concerning as they can change the spectral, chemical, and physical properties of lunar soils. These np-Fe particles were previously believed to be produced from lunar surface materials by space weathering processes, while the source of np-Fe particles from exotic micromet...

The image of a bone-dry surface in the Moon's non-polar regions impinged by the Apollo missions was changed by the detection of widespread absorption near 3 µm in 2009, interpreted as a signature of hydration. However, debates persist on the relative contribution of molecular water (H2O) and other hydroxyl (OH) compounds to this hydration feature,...

Context. Visible and near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy is widely used to determine the surface composition and maturity of the Moon, but it may be influenced by the observation geometry. In situ observation is crucial for understanding the angular scattering behaviour of the lunar surface and can help to link laboratory measurements with orbit...

Chang’E-6 lunar soil was the first sample collected on the lunar farside. It provides insights into impact history and thermodynamic evolution of the Moon. Here we show the discovered widespread oldhamite (CaS) in lunar regolith samples. Analysis of the microscopic composition and crystal structure showed that the oldhamite has a cubic structure an...

M-type asteroids are historically thought to be exposed metallic cores of differentiated planets with a composition dominated by pure iron and nickel. However, recent spectral and radar observations reveal an insufficient number of M-type asteroids in the main belt. Here, we report unusual space weathering characteristics associated with a natural...

Basaltic shergottites are the most abundant rock type of Martian meteorites, and pyroxene grains within shergottites commonly show a zoned structure. Here, the detailed microscopic mineralogical characteristics of patchy zoned pyroxene in basaltic shergottite NWA 12522 were investigated by a combination of scanning electron microscopy, electron mic...

Reiner Gamma is a potential target for low-orbiting spacecraft or even surface-landed missions in the near future. Unfortunately, thus far, no comprehensive low-altitude (below 20 km) or surface measurements of the magnetic field, magnetic source and plasma environment have been made post-Apollo to complement and complete our understanding of the s...

Context . The solar wind protons implanted in silicate material and combined with oxygen are considered crucial for forming OH/H 2 O on the Moon and other airless bodies. This process may also have contributed to hydrogen delivery to planetary interiors through the accretion of micrometre-sized dust and planetesimals during early stages of the Sola...

The scarce carbonate record on the Martian surface is one of the fundamental unsolved issues for paleoclimate and environmental evolution. Whether carbonates first formed and then dissolved due to a transition in global environments or whether Mg–Fe carbonates never extensively formed due to geochemical kinetics thresholds remains unknown. In this...

The safety of lunar landing sites directly impacts the success of lunar exploration missions. This study develops a data-driven predictive model based on machine learning, focusing on engineering safety to assess the suitability of lunar landing sites and provide insights into key factors and feature representations. Six critical engineering factor...

Reiner Gamma is a potential target for low-orbiting spacecraft or even surface-landed missions in the near future. Unfortunately, thus far no comprehensive low altitude (below 20 km) or surface measurements of the magnetic field, magnetic source and plasma environment have been made post-Apollo to complement and complete our understanding of the so...

Magnetite is rare on the Moon. The ubiquitous presence of magnetite in lunar soil has been hypothesized in previous Apollo Mössbauer spectroscopy and electron spin resonance studies, but there is currently no mineralogical evidence to prove it. Here, we report a large number of submicroscopic magnetite particles embedded within iron-sulfide on the...

The Apollo basin, located in the northeastern part of the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin, represents one of the Moon's most significant geological features, offering profound insights into the lunar interior structure, the effects of the SPA impact, and the history of lunar crust evolution. This study presents an in-depth geological analysis of the...

The Jiadi and Damaidi gold deposits in southwest Guizhou Province are the largest basalt-hosted Carlin-type gold deposits recently discovered in China. This study uses the Tescan Integrated Mineral Analyzer, supported by detailed field investigations, regional geological data, and extensive sample collections, including mineralized ore, altered wal...

Solar wind irradiation, as a crucial space weathering mechanism, alters the microscopic characteristics and reflectance spectrum of the lunar regolith, and its cumulative effect is strongly related to the exposure time. Ilmenite is highly resistant to solar wind irradiation. Here, we combined transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ra...

Focusing on cutting-edge scientific issues related to lunar exploration and applications, 9 overarching goals and 38 specific objectives for China's manned lunar exploration program have been proposed. Leveraging China's technical capabilities in manned spaceflight and lunar exploration, as well as its expertise in lunar and planetary science, the...

Precisely constraining the shock pressure of a Mars sample is critical for revealing the shock condition, geological process, and habitability of the Martian surface. The crystal structure of plagioclase is sensitive to the moderate shock pressure, such that its infrared spectra may record the shock state of Martian materials. In this study, we pre...

Mineralization characterized by Au, Hg, and Tl enrichment is rare, and research on Au, Hg, and Tl mineralization is limited. The Lanmuchang Au–Hg–Tl deposit is located in the “Golden Triangle” of Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guangxi Provinces in China. In this study, we used scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron microprobe analysis (EPMA), and a Tes...

The existence of molecular H 2 O and evolution of solar wind–derived water on the lunar surface remain controversial. We report that large amounts of OH and molecular H 2 O related to solar wind and other multiple sources are preserved in impact glasses from Chang’e-5 (CE5) lunar soil based on reflectance infrared spectroscopy and nanoscale seconda...

The Youjiang Basin in China is the world’s second-largest concentrated area of Carlin-type Au deposits after Nevada, USA, boasting cumulative Au reserves nearing 1000 t. This study examined the recently unearthed Lintan Carlin-type Au deposit within the Youjiang Basin. Factor analysis and association rule algorithms were used to identify exploratio...

Tectonic features on the Moon can reflect the state of stress during the formation of the structure, and sinuous rilles can provide further insight into the tectonic-thermal evolution of the Moon. Manual visual interpretation is the primary method for extracting these linear structures due to their complex morphology. However, extracting these feat...

Micrometeorite impacts are one of the main drivers of lunar space weathering and can alter the properties of lunar regolith. However, the details of such processes are not well understood yet. We used transmission electron microscopy to study a micrometeorite impact crater on a glass bead returned by Chang’e-5. We detected Ti-oxide deposits on the...

Yutu-2 rover conducted an exciting expedition on the 41st lunar day to investigate a fin-shaped rock at Longji site (45.44°S, 177.56°E) by extending its locomotion margin on perilous peaks. The varied locomotion encountered, especially multi-form wheel slippage, during the journey to the target rock, established unique conditions for a fin-grained...

The Moon has been divided into three terranes: Procellarum KREEP Terrane (PKT), Feldspathic Highland Terrane (FHT), and South Pole-Aitken Terrane (SPAT), using globally measured Th and FeO. Many lunar evolution models have predicted that a lunar magma ocean will produce a residual layer enriched in incompatible elements such as K, REE, and P (i.e.,...

The evolution of the Moon is driven by both endogenic (e.g., magmatism) and exogenic processes (e.g., impact). The lunar surface can be divided into 3 first-order tectonic units based on differences in geochemistry, crustal thickness, topography, and distribution of structures. However, the interpreted boundaries demarcated by different features va...

Lunar grabens are the largest tensional linear structures on the Moon. In this paper, 17 grabens were selected to investigate the dips and displacement–length ratios (γ) of graben-bounding faults. Several topographic profiles were generated from selected grabens to measure their rim elevation, width and depth through SLDEM2015 (+LOLA) data. The dif...

A geologic time scale is a chronological system that separates the geological strata of a planetary body into different units in temporal sequence and shows its progressive evolution. The time scale of the Moon was established a half-century ago during the telescopic-early Apollo exploration era, using data with limited spatial coverage and resolut...

Actively mined Carlin-type gold provinces are only found in Nevada, USA, and SW China. Herein, we combined nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry and atom probe tomography to characterize the distribution of Au and As in pyrite from the micrometer to atomic scales from the Shuiyindong and Lannigou deposits, SW China, and compared this with a rep...

Lunar grabens are the largest tensional linear structures on the Moon. In this paper, 17 grabens were selected to investigate the dips and displacement-length ratios (γ) of graben-bounding faults. Several topographic profiles were generated from selected grabens to measure their rim elevation, width and depth through SLDEM2015 (+LOLA) data. The dif...

Detecting impact craters on the Martian surface is a critical component of studying Martian geomorphology and planetary evolution. Accurately determining impact crater boundaries, which are distinguishable geomorphic units, is important work in geological and geomorphological mapping. The Martian topography is more complex than that of the Moon, ma...

Deep space exploration has risen in interest among scientists in recent years, with soft landings being one of the most straightforward ways to acquire knowledge about the Moon. In general, landing mission success depends on the selection of landing zones, and there are currently few effective quantitative models that can be used to select suitable...

Additional Affiliation(s) [...]

Understanding crust–atmosphere interactions on Venus is fundamentally important to interpretations of Venus’ surface spectroscopic data. Olivine, in basaltic crust, is oxidized under a heated CO2 atmosphere. However, the oxidation rates, product assemblages and spectral characteristics of olivine samples with different Fa# values remain largely unc...

We report high-precision K isotopes, apatite U–Pb ages, whole-rock elements and Sr–Nd isotopes for the Saima nephelite syenite in the North China Craton. Trace-element and Sr–Nd–Hf–O isotope data indicate the presence of subducting sediments in the source region, while K isotopic compositions show a narrow range between –0.54 ‰ and –0.28 ‰, with an...

The Zhurong rover of the Tianwen-1 mission landed in southern Utopia Planitia, providing a unique window into the evolutionary history of the Martian lowlands. During its first 110 sols, Zhurong investigated and categorized surface targets into igneous rocks, lithified duricrusts, cemented duricrusts, soils and sands. The lithified duricrusts, anal...

Frequent impacts on the Moon have changed the physical and chemical properties of the lunar regolith, with new materials deposited from the impact-induced vapor phase. Here, we combined nanoscale chemical and structural analysis to identify the mineral digenite (4Cu2S·CuS) in Chang'e-5 lunar soil. This is the first report of digenite in a lunar sam...

Context. Olivine responds to space weathering in the fastest and most profound way, which results in significant space weathering spectral alteration effects (SWSAEs) on airless silicate bodies. Although Mg-rich olivine (Fa 10 ) has been subjected to extensive studies, SWSAEs of Fe-rich (Fa# > 20) or Fa-dominant (Fa# ⩾ 50) olivine are still poorly...

Plain Language Summary Cryogenic sulfuric weathering is proposed for forming large‐scale layered sulfate deposits on Mars, such as Meridiani Planum and Valles Marineris. In particular, olivine dissolution is essential for producing these evaporative sulfate assemblages. Although qualitatively likely, how Fe‐rich olivine, widely distributed in Marti...

The 2-Gyr-old Chang’e-5 samples are the youngest lunar basaltic regolith returned to Earth and can provide information on the lithological diversity and regolith gardening processes at young mare regions on the Moon over a hitherto unexplored time window. Here we study the lithology and composition of over 3,000 Chang’e-5 regolith particles less th...

Space weathering on airless bodies produces metallic iron (Fe0) particles in the rims of mineral grains, which affect visible and near-infrared spectra and complicate the identification of surface materials. The Chang’e-5 mission provides an opportunity to couple information gained from its returned samples with in situ observations and orbital mon...

Technology advancement in modern planetary exploration has extended extraterrestrial geological science by sending rovers on challenging, possibly risky but highly scientific-valuable ventures, such as ascending towards the crater walls, traversing steep slopes of sand dunes and travelling through the lava tube. On the 41st lunar day, the first lun...

Ferric iron as well as magnetite are rarely found in lunar samples, and their distribution and formation mechanisms on the Moon have not been well studied. Here, we discover sub-microscopic magnetite particles in Chang’E-5 lunar soil. Magnetite and pure metallic iron particles are embedded in oxygen-dissolved iron-sulfide grains from the Chang’E-5...

The Vastitas Borealis Formation is a Hesperian-aged sedimentary unit that mainly covers the Martian northern plains. Its environment of formation is uncertain but may be related to an ancient Martian ocean, outflow channel deposits, compaction and drainage activities, or subsurface ice-related processes. Here we investigate the geological evolution...

Lunar landforms are the results of geological and geomorphic processes on the lunar surface. It is very important to identify the types of lunar landforms. Geomorphology is the scientific study of the origin and evolution of morphological landforms on planetary surfaces. Elevation and relief amplitude are the most commonly used geomorphic indices i...

Mineral olivine and Mg-rich spinel observed in Das crater were previously attributed to the excavation from the lunar lower crust or even mantle. To test this hypothesis, we developed a three-dimensional hydrocode SALEc to simulate the formation of such an elliptical crater. The hydrocode SALEc was examined and verified by comparing its results wit...

Planetary surface ages are extremely important to geologic evolution studies. For extraterrestrial bodies, the crater size-frequency distribution dating method, including a crater production function and a chronology function, was established based on the radiometric ages of Apollo and Luna samples from the Moon. Recently, the radiometric age of a...

At present, the selection of lunar landing areas is mostly determined by experts’ argumentation and experience. Generally, it is artificially limited to a small zone, and there are few effective quantitative models for landing areas. Under the premise that big data, artificial intelligence, and other technologies are becoming increasingly mature, w...

The formation and distribution of lunar surficial water remains ambiguous. Here, we show the prominence of water (OH/H2O) attributed to solar wind implantation on the uppermost surface of olivine, plagioclase, and pyroxene grains from Chang’E-5 samples. The results of spectral and microstructural analyses indicate that solar wind-derived water is a...

Abundant nanophase iron (np-Fe0) is ubiquitously formed on the surface of the Moon and other airless bodies through space weathering processes, and plays a dominant role in transforming the optical properties of the lunar surface. The main sources of np-Fe0 are usually considered to be evaporative deposition or ion-reduction processes. Here we show...

Plain Language Summary The returned Chang'e‐5 (CE‐5) samples from one of the youngest mare units in northern Oceanus Procellarum on the Moon provide vital clues about late lunar thermal evolution and post deposition processes (e.g., space weathering and mixing effects) on the lunar surface, presenting quite different chemistry from typical Apollo s...

The lunar mare potassium (K)-, rare-earth elements (REEs)- and phosphorous (P)-rich (KREEP-rich) region is a unique late-stage product of magma crystallization, in which ilmenite and incompatible elements have high grades, thus forming a giant natural reservoir. The extraction and purification of the high-value metal resources in the KREEP-rich reg...

We report high-precision K isotopes, apatite U-Pb ages, whole-rock elements, and Sr-Nd isotopes of Saima nepheline syenite in the North China Craton. Trace element and Sr-Nd-Hf-O isotope data indicate the presence of subducting sediments in source region, while K isotopic compositions showed a narrow range between –0.54 ‰ and –0.31 ‰, with an avera...

Chang’e-4 landed in the Von Kármán basaltic zone affected by Finsen ejecta from the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) “compositional anomaly” (SPACA), providing an opportunity to untangle the origin of the SPACA. We developed a mineral abundance unmixing model and built a spectral library composed of mineral mixtures of plagioclase, low-Ca pyroxene, high-Ca...

Impact-induced thermal modifications occur frequently in the solar system, and the microstructures of extraterrestrial samples can reveal the thermal-induced alterations that have occurred to their parent bodies. The characterization and reproduction of these sub-micron features are challenging and require new analytical techniques. The combination...

Lunar chronology models are built by associating the radiometric ages of samples returned by the Apollo and Luna missions measured in the laboratory with compiled crater distributions of those sites. Such models have not only been widely used to determine the absolute ages of various regions on the Moon1–6, but have also been generalized to date th...

Thermal decomposition of oxides can be achieved at lower temperature under vacuum condition. For In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU), using the thermal decomposition method to obtain resources can avoid complex processing. In this study, through thermodynamic equilibrium calculation found that oxides such as iron(II) oxide (FeO), magnesium oxide (M...

At present, a single technical method has difficulty in obtaining microscopic data of ultra-light elements, trace elements, and crystal structures in samples simultaneously. This work combined an in situ focused ion beam—transmission electron microscopy—time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (FTT) technique and analyzed the composition and...

Space weathering process on airless bodies produces metallic iron (Fe ⁰ ) particles widely existing in the rim and interior of mineral grains, which complicate visible and near-infrared spectra of surface materials. Although these space weathering products and their spectroscopic effects on the Moon have been extensively investigated based on retur...

The specific duration between the impact event and subsequent volcanic flows is highly variable based on previous works. The method of crater size-frequency distribution (CSFD) has been previously used to date the basalt in Orientale Basin, which yielded inconsistent resultant Absolute Model Age (AMA) ranges. The inconsistency may be attributed to...

Surface‐correlated nanophase iron particles (npFe⁰) alter the reflectance spectrum characteristics of airless bodies, thus making it an essential aspect of studying space weathering. Vapor deposition has been the only strongly proven npFe⁰ formation mechanism owing to the long exposure time of Apollo samples, whereas other formation mechanisms rema...

Impact basins are primary geological structures on the Moon, and play key roles in revealing the lunar history. Due to the different identification standards currently used, the basin identification results are highly inconsistent. Except for the major basins (e.g., Orientale, Schrödinger, Imbrium, Crisium, Apollo, and Nectaris Basin), detailed sub...

On January 3, 2019, Chang'E-4 (CE-4) probe successfully achieved soft landing on the farside of the Moon. A large number of small craters in the landing area can be found in the high-resolution remote sensing images. These small craters played a vital role in the evolution of lunar regolith because of the overturning and mixing of lunar surface mat...