The Chinese Academy of Sciences has announced the release of a new set of lunar geological atlases, compiled by Academician Ouyang Ziyuan and researcher Liu Jianzhong. The first high-definition geological atlas of the Moon, produced under China’s Chang’e Project, maps over 12,300 craters and provides a comprehensive understanding of the Moon’s origin and evolution.
The set includes two atlases: the Geological Atlas of the Lunar Globe and the map quadrangles of the Geological Atlas of the Moon. The Geological Atlas of the Lunar Globe consists of three maps: the Geological Map of the Moon, the Lithological Map of the Moon, and the Tectonic Map of the Moon. Meanwhile, the Geological Atlas of the Moon Map Quadrangles includes 30 standardized subschematic geological maps.
These atlases were created using data from China’s Chang’e lunar exploration program and other international missions. They provide a more detailed understanding than previous lunar geological maps produced by NASA’s Apollo program, which are no longer sufficient for current and future deep space exploration and scientific research needs.
A unified classification system has been established for subtypes of basin formations in these atlases, along with special elements like landing sites of human probes and special elevation points. The digital lunar geological atlas has been integrated into a digital lunar cloud platform for lunar scientific research, education, and future lunar exploration projects.
