Japan Geoscience Union Meeting 2014

Presentation information

Oral

Symbol P (Space and Planetary Sciences) » P-PS Planetary Sciences

[P-PS23_2PM1] Lunar science and exploration

Fri. May 2, 2014 2:15 PM - 4:15 PM 413 (4F)

Convener:*Tomokatsu Morota(Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University), Chikatoshi Honda(The University of Aizu), Masaki N Nishino(Solar-Terrestrial Environment Laboratory, Nagoya University), Hiroshi Nagaoka(Waseda Univ.), Chair:Masaki N Nishino(Solar-Terrestrial Environment Laboratory, Nagoya University), Ken Ishiyama(Department of Geophysics, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University)

3:45 PM - 4:00 PM

[PPS23-21] Unprecedented Zipangu Underworld of the Moon Exploration (UZUME)

*Junichi HARUYAMA1, Isao KAWANO1, Takashi KUBOTA1, Masatsugu OTSUKI1, Toshiyuki NISHIBORI1, Takahiro IWATA1, Yoshiaki ISHIHARA1, Yukio YAMAMOTO1, Aiko NAGAMATSU1, Toshiaki HASENAKA2, Hisayoshi SHIMIZU3, Tomokatsu MOROTA4, Tatsuhiro MICHIKAMI5, Motomaro SHIRAO6, Hideaki MIYAMOTO3, Kensei KOBAYASHI7, Satoru YAMAMOTO8, Yasuhiro YOKOTA8, Ko HASHIZUME9, Kazuto SAIKI9, Goro KOMATSU10 (1.Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 2.Kumamoto University, 3.University of Tokyo, 4.Nagoya University, 5.Kinki University, 6.Planetary Geology Institute, 7.Yokohama National University, 8.National Institute for Environmental Studies, 9.Osaka University, 10.Universita d'Annunzio)

Keywords:Moon, SELENE, hole, cavern

Japanese lunar explorer SELENE (Kaguya) discovered gigantic vertical holes of 100 m in diameters and depths in the Marius Hills, Mare Tranquillitatis, and Mare Ingenii of the Moon. These holes are possibly skylights of underground large caverns such as lava tubes, magma chambers, or faults. There are lots of scientific interests on the holes and associating caverns. In addition, these holes and underground structures are the best candidate locations for future lunar base. Similar holes have been also found on the Mars. The caverns connecting to the Martian holes may be the best place for Martian lives to emerge, evolve and survive because of their safer conditions than the Martian surface. We are now planning to establish a project working group to explore the lunar holes and caverns associating to the holes. We call the project as UZUME (Unprecedented Zipangu Underworld of the Moon Exploration).