科學家們剛剛發(fā)布了迄今為止最完整的月球地質(zhì)圖，它是如此的壯麗

科學家們剛剛發(fā)布了迄今為止最完整的月球地質(zhì)圖，它是如此的壯麗

Those light and dark spots you can see when you gaze at the Moon from afar are only hints of the rich geological diversity that can be found on our nearest celestial neighbour, and scientists have put together the most detailed map of the Moon's rock composition yet.

當你從遠處凝視月球時，你能看到的那些亮點和暗點，只是在我們最近的天體鄰居上發(fā)現(xiàn)的豐富的地質(zhì)多樣性的暗示，科學家們已經(jīng)整理出了迄今為止最詳細的月球巖石組成圖。

Not only is the finished map incredible to look at, it'll also act as a blueprint for future missions to the Moon, guiding astronauts towards suitable landing spots and areas that are worthy of further scientific investigation.

完成后的地圖不僅看起來令人難以置信，它還將作為未來月球任務(wù)的藍圖，引導(dǎo)宇航員前往合適的著陸點和值得進一步科學研究的地區(qū)。

The fascinating map of lunar geology has been put together by a team from NASA, the Lunar Planetary Institute in Texas, and the Astrogeology Science Center in Arizona, run by the US Geological Survey (USGS).

美國國家航空航天局(NASA)、德克薩斯州月球行星研究所(lunar Planetary Institute)和美國地質(zhì)調(diào)查局(USGS)下屬的亞利桑那州天體地質(zhì)科學中心(astrogeological Science Center)共同繪制了這幅迷人的月球地質(zhì)地圖。

People have always been fascinated by the moon and when we might return, says Jim Reilly, former NASA astronaut and the current director of USGS. "So, it's wonderful to see USGS create a resource that can help NASA with their planning for future missions."

前美國國家航空航天局宇航員、現(xiàn)任美國地質(zhì)勘探局局長吉姆·賴利說:“人們總是對月球和我們可能何時返回月球很感興趣。”“所以，很高興看到美國地質(zhì)勘探局創(chuàng)造了一種資源，可以幫助NASA規(guī)劃未來的任務(wù)。”

At a 1:5,000,000 scale, the map was compiled from data collected from six Apollo-era maps, as well as more recent satellite imagery. Geographical software was used to stitch all the parts into one coherent whole.

這張地圖的比例尺為1:50萬，是根據(jù)從六張阿波羅時代的地圖以及最近的衛(wèi)星圖像收集的數(shù)據(jù)編制的。使用地理軟件把所有的部分縫合成一個連貫的整體。

As well as combining several old and new datasets, the scientists behind the project also standardised the rock names, descriptions and ages – details that had previously varied from map to map.

除了結(jié)合了幾組新舊數(shù)據(jù)集外，該項目背后的科學家們還對巖石的名稱、描述和年齡進行了標準化——這些細節(jié)在之前的地圖中是不同的。

Topological information has been added in, too: the locations of craters, crests, fissures, ridges, faults, and all the other irregularities in the Moon's surface. There's more to come, with experts planning even more detailed geological maps in the future.

地圖中還添加了拓撲信息:月球表面的隕石坑、峰頂、裂縫、山脊、斷層和所有其他不規(guī)則的地方。未來還會有更多，專家們計劃在未來繪制更詳細的地質(zhì)圖。

It was a huge effort for our team to complete this new map and make it seamless, says Justin Hagerty, Astrogeology Director at USGS. "Much of the historical mapping was performed by various groups and at regional scales."

美國地質(zhì)勘探局的天體地質(zhì)學主任賈斯汀·哈格蒂說:“我們的團隊付出了巨大的努力來完成這幅新地圖，并使之天衣無縫。”“很多歷史地圖都是由不同的團體和地區(qū)繪制的。”

Slightly different methods were used, so that maps of the same feature that had been mapped by different groups would not match.

“他們使用了略微不同的方法，因此不同組繪制的相同特征的地圖將不匹配。”

The Moon does have a crust, a mantle and a core, but it doesn't have tectonic plates like Earth does. One of the ways in which a better understanding of the Moon's geology can be useful is in charting out its 4.5-billion-year history: how it came into being, the way it's evolved since, and everything that's collided with it along the way.

月球確實有地殼、地幔和地核，但它不像地球那樣有構(gòu)造板塊。更好地了解月球地質(zhì)的方法之一是繪制出它45億年的歷史:它是如何形成的，它是如何演變的，以及在發(fā)展過程中與它相撞的一切。

Studies of our satellite have also been helped by the rock samples that have been collected on lunar missions.

對我們的衛(wèi)星的研究也得到了在月球任務(wù)中收集的巖石樣本的幫助。

As for future missions, they will no doubt be consulting this new map. NASA is currently planning to send humans to the Moon again in 2024.

至于未來的任務(wù)，他們無疑會參考這張新地圖。美國宇航局目前計劃在2024年再次將人類送上月球。