月海玄武岩主要产于月球近边的盆地中,覆盖面积为月球表面的l%,其形成年龄多在39~31亿年之间,是各类月岩中最年轻的。与地球玄武岩相似,月海玄武岩由斜长石、辉石和橄榄石组成,但它们比地球玄武岩具有更低的Mg#、A1:0,、K和Na含量.高的FeO含量(大于16%)和变化范围大的TiO2含量(小于l%到大于13%)。根据TiO2含量的变化,月海玄武岩分成高Ti(〉6%),低Ti(1.5%〈TiO:〈6%)以及极低Ti(〈1.5%)三类。所有月海玄武岩都具有Eu负异常,并亏损挥发性元素和亲铁元素。月海玄武岩的同位素特征指示其至少为三个组分混合的产物:(1)高:238U/204Pb、高87Sr/86Sr和负εNd组分,可能是岩浆海分异的残余岩浆即KREEP;(2)低:238U/204Pb、低87Sr/86sr和正εNd组分,来源于原始月幔,其熔融产物为低Ⅱ玄武岩;(3)中等87Sr/86Sr和εNd组分,位于月幔的顶部,经历了岩浆海(洋)过程中形成的堆晶物质的再熔融,还可能受到了陨击事件的影响,其熔融产物是高Ti玄武岩。月海玄武岩的元素和同位素地球化学性质支持岩浆海的假说,其源区的形成与岩浆海的分异密切相关,并经历了三个阶段:(a)岩浆海阶段,通过岩浆海的结晶分异形成顶部为斜长岩月壳,中间为高Ⅱ、富钛铁矿层,底部为巨厚的硅酸盐低Ti层的三层壳幔结构;(b)富钛铁矿堆晶岩(携带少量残余熔体)因密度大而下沉至下部的硅酸盐月幔(400km以下);(C)月幔中这些不同源区的岩石发生减压熔融。早期由较浅的低熔点组分熔融形成低K高Ti玄武岩,之后形成来源较深的高Ti玄武岩和低Ti玄武岩。
Mare basalts are mainly distributed in basins in the near-earth side, occupying 〈1% of the volume of the Moon. Most mare basalts were emplaced during 3.9- 3.1 Ga, thus being young by lunar standards. Like basaltic rocks on Earth, mare basalts are composed of plagioclase, pyroxene and olivine. However, they are lower in Mg#, AlzOB, Na and K, higher in FeO contents than the terrestrial basalts. TiO2 contents in mare basalts are extremely varied, ranging fi'om 〈 1% to 〉 13%. Based on the TiO2 variation, mare basalts are classified into three groups, i.e., highTi (〉 6%), lowTi (1.5% 〈TIO2〈6%) and extremely lowTi (〈1.5%) basalts. All the mare basalts are characterized by negative Eu anomaly and are deficient in volatile and siderophile elements. Isotopic systematics of mare basalts indicate at least three components: (1) a component with high 238U/204pb, high 87Sr/86Sr and negative end values, likely represented by KREEP residuum of a global lunar magma ocean; (2) a "primordial" deep mantle source with 23sU/204pb typical of Earth, low 87Sr/86Sr and positive end values; and (3) a shallow mantle reservoir that has similar 238U/2044pb values to the second, intermediate end and low to intermediate 87Sr/86Sr values. The typical melting products of the second and third components are low-Ti and high-Ti basalts, respectively. Elemental and isotopic characteristics of mare basalts are in support of the lunar magma ocean hypothesis and suggest a close relationship between their source formation and differentiation of magma ocean. The sources for the mare basahs were likely fomled in a three-stage process. First, a global lunar magma ocean differentiated into a plagioclase-rich flotation crust, a thin high-Ti source and a thick low-Ti source consisting mostly of variable proportions of olivine and orthopyroxene with minor clinopyroxene. Second, the denser ilmenite-rich layer, probably accompanied by variable amount of KREEP-type magma residuum, sank into the lower silicate layer o