Lunar Pit Craters Presumed to be the Entrances of Lava Caves by Analogy to the Earth Lava Tube Pits

Hong, Ik-Seon,Yi, Yu,Kim, Eojin The Korean Space Science Society 2014 Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences Vol.31 No.2

Lava caves could be useful as outposts for the human exploration of the Moon. Lava caves or lava tubes are formed when the external surface of the lava flows cools more quickly to make a hardened crust over subsurface lava flows. The lava flow eventually ceases and drains out of the tube, leaving an empty space. The frail part of the ceiling of lava tube could collapse to expose the entrance to the lava tubes which is called a pit crater. Several pit craters with the diameter of around 100 meters have been found by analyzing the data of SELENE and LRO lunar missions. It is hard to use these pit craters for outposts since these are too large in scale. In this study, small scale pit craters which are fit for outposts have been investigated using the NAC image data of LROC. Several topographic patterns which are believed to be lunar caves have been found and the similar pit craters of the Earth were compared and analyzed to identify caves. For this analysis, the image data of satellites and aerial photographs are collected and classified to construct a database. Several pit craters analogous to lunar pit craters were derived and a morphological pit crater model was generated using the 3D printer based on this database.

Lunar Pit Craters Presumed to be the Entrances of Lava Caves by Analogy to the Earth Lava Tube Pits

Ik-Seon Hong,Yu Yi,Eojin Kim 한국우주과학회 2014 Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences Vol.31 No.2

Lava caves could be useful as outposts for the human exploration of the Moon. Lava caves or lava tubes are formed when the external surface of the lava flows cools more quickly to make a hardened crust over subsurface lava flows. The lava flow eventually ceases and drains out of the tube, leaving an empty space. The frail part of the ceiling of lava tube could collapse to expose the entrance to the lava tubes which is called a pit crater. Several pit craters with the diameter of around 100 meters have been found by analyzing the data of SELENE and LRO lunar missions. It is hard to use these pit craters for outposts since these are too large in scale. In this study, small scale pit craters which are fit for outposts have been investigated using the NAC image data of LROC. Several topographic patterns which are believed to be lunar caves have been found and the similar pit craters of the Earth were compared and analyzed to identify caves. For this analysis, the image data of satellites and aerial photographs are collected and classified to construct a database. Several pit craters analogous to lunar pit craters were derived and a morphological pit crater model was generated using the 3D printer based on this database.

Method for Identifying Lava Tubes Among Pit Craters Using Brightness Profile Across Pits on the Moon or Mars

정종일,홍익선,조은진,이유 한국우주과학회 2016 Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences Vol.33 No.1

Caves can serve as major outposts for future human exploration of the Moon and Mars. In addition, caves can protect people and electronic equipment from external hazards such as cosmic ray radiation and meteorites impacts and serve as a shelter. Numerous pit craters have been discovered on the Moon and Mars and are potential entrances to caves; the principal topographic features of pit craters are their visible internal floors and pits with vertical walls. We have devised two topographical models for investigating the relationship between the topographical characteristics and the inner void of pit craters. One of our models is a concave floor void model and the other is a convex floor tube model. For each model, optical photographs have been obtained under conditions similar to those in which optical photographs have been acquired for craters on the Moon and Mars. Brightness profiles were analyzed for determining the profile patterns of the void pit craters. The profile patterns were compared to the brightness profiles of Martian pit craters, because no good-quality images of lunar pit craters were available. In future studies, the model profile patterns will be compared to those of lunar pit craters, and the proposed method will likely become useful for finding lunar caves and consequently for planning lunar bases for manned lunar expeditions.

Lunar Pit Craters Presumed to be the Entrances of Lava Caves by Analogy to the Earth Lava Tube Pits

홍익선,이유,김어진 한국우주과학회 2014 Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences Vol.31 No.2

Lava caves could be useful as outposts for the human exploration of the Moon. Lava caves or lava tubes are formed whenthe external surface of the lava flows cools more quickly to make a hardened crust over subsurface lava flows. The lavaflow eventually ceases and drains out of the tube, leaving an empty space. The frail part of the ceiling of lava tube couldcollapse to expose the entrance to the lava tubes which is called a pit crater. Several pit craters with the diameter of around100 meters have been found by analyzing the data of SELENE and LRO lunar missions. It is hard to use these pit cratersfor outposts since these are too large in scale. In this study, small scale pit craters which are fit for outposts have beeninvestigated using the NAC image data of LROC. Several topographic patterns which are believed to be lunar caves havebeen found and the similar pit craters of the Earth were compared and analyzed to identify caves. For this analysis, theimage data of satellites and aerial photographs are collected and classified to construct a database. Several pit cratersanalogous to lunar pit craters were derived and a morphological pit crater model was generated using the 3D printer basedon this database.

제주도 산굼부리의 성인

길영우(Youngwoo Kil),윤성효(Sung-Hyo Yun),이문원(Moon Won Lee),양경희(Kyounghee Yang),설정환(Junghwan Seol) 한국암석학회 2016 암석학회지 Vol.25 No.3

천연기념물 제63호로 지정된 산굼부리 분화구은 기존 마르형 분화구로 인식되었지만, 새로운 정밀지질도 작성과 함께 야외에서의 지질학적 특징들이 산굼부리 분화구가 두 번에 걸친 화산활동으로 형성된 함몰분화구(pit crater)임을 지시한다. Stage 1 단계에서는 비현정질휘석현무암 I와 화산재와 래필리로 구성된 화성쇄설물 I가 동시에 형성되었고, stage 2 단계에서는 침상장석감람석현무암 형성 후 비현정질휘석현무암 II와 집괴암으로 구성된 화성쇄설물 II가 동시에 형성되었다. Stage 2의 침상장석감람석현무암을 Ar-Ar 연대측정 결과 산굼부리 함몰분화구는 7만3천 년 전에 형성되었다. 산굼부리 분화구는 함몰분화구(pit crater)임에도 불구하고 현재까지는 하부로 빠져나간 마그마의 방향을 알 수 없다. Sangumburi crater, designated as Natural Monument No. 63, recognized as a maar, but precise geological mapping and geological characteristics in the field indicate that Sangumburi crater is a pit crater. Two stages of volcanic activities created Sangumburi pit crater. Lava flow (aphanitic pyroxene basalt I) and associated pyroclastic deposit (pyroclast I), composed of ash and lapilli, were formed at the stage 1. In the stage 2, lava flow (feldspar olivine basalt) was overlain by lava flow (aphanitic pyroxene basalt II) and associated pyroclastic deposit (pyroclast II), composed of agglomerate. Sangumburi pit crater formed at 0.073±0.036 Ma, determined by Ar-Ar age dating for the feldspar olivine basalt at the stage 2. It is not clear the preferred migration direction of subsurface magma after Sangumburi pit crater formed.

3D Modeling of Lacus Mortis Pit Crater with Presumed Interior Tube Structure

홍익선,이유,유재형,Junichi Haruyama 한국우주과학회 2015 Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences Vol.32 No.2

When humans explore the Moon, lunar caves will be an ideal base to provide a shelter from the hazards of radiation, meteorite impact, and extreme diurnal temperature differences. In order to ascertain the existence of caves on the Moon, it is best to visit the Moon in person. The Google Lunar X Prize(GLXP) competition started recently to attempt lunar exploration missions. Ones of those groups competing, plan to land on a pit of Lacus Mortis and determine the existence of a cave inside this pit. In this pit, there is a ramp from the entrance down to the inside of the pit, which enables a rover to approach the inner region of the pit. In this study, under the assumption of the existence of a cave in this pit, a 3D model was developed based on the optical image data. Since this model simulates the actual terrain, the rendering of the model agrees well with the image data. Furthermore, the 3D printing of this model will enable more rigorous investigations and also could be used to publicize lunar exploration missions with ease.

3D Modeling of Lacus Mortis Pit Crater with Presumed Interior Tube Structure

Ik-Seon Hong,Yu Yi,Jaehyung Yu,Junichi Haruyama 한국우주과학회 2015 Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences Vol.32 No.2

When humans explore the Moon, lunar caves will be an ideal base to provide a shelter from the hazards of radiation, meteorite impact, and extreme diurnal temperature differences. In order to ascertain the existence of caves on the Moon, it is best to visit the Moon in person. The Google Lunar X Prize(GLXP) competition started recently to attempt lunar exploration missions. Ones of those groups competing, plan to land on a pit of Lacus Mortis and determine the existence of a cave inside this pit. In this pit, there is a ramp from the entrance down to the inside of the pit, which enables a rover to approach the inner region of the pit. In this study, under the assumption of the existence of a cave in this pit, a 3D model was developed based on the optical image data. Since this model simulates the actual terrain, the rendering of the model agrees well with the image data. Furthermore, the 3D printing of this model will enable more rigorous investigations and also could be used to publicize lunar exploration missions with ease.

3D Modeling of Lacus Mortis Pit Crater with Presumed Interior Tube Structure

Hong, Ik-Seon,Yi, Yu,Yu, Jaehyung,Haruyama, Junichi The Korean Space Science Society 2015 Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences Vol.32 No.2

When humans explore the Moon, lunar caves will be an ideal base to provide a shelter from the hazards of radiation, meteorite impact, and extreme diurnal temperature differences. In order to ascertain the existence of caves on the Moon, it is best to visit the Moon in person. The Google Lunar X Prize(GLXP) competition started recently to attempt lunar exploration missions. Ones of those groups competing, plan to land on a pit of Lacus Mortis and determine the existence of a cave inside this pit. In this pit, there is a ramp from the entrance down to the inside of the pit, which enables a rover to approach the inner region of the pit. In this study, under the assumption of the existence of a cave in this pit, a 3D model was developed based on the optical image data. Since this model simulates the actual terrain, the rendering of the model agrees well with the image data. Furthermore, the 3D printing of this model will enable more rigorous investigations and also could be used to publicize lunar exploration missions with ease.

제주시 봉개동 고냉이술 오름의 화산형태학적 특성

이정현(Jeong Hyun Lee),윤성효(Sung-Hyo Yun) 한국암석학회 2011 암석학회지 Vol.20 No.3

제주시 봉개동의 고냉이술 일대의 지질은 오래된 것으로부터 영평동현무암, 신안동현무암, 봉개동현 무암 및 분석층으로 구성된다. 영평동현무암과 신안동현무암은 고냉이술 오름의 남쪽 중산간 지역에 위치하고, 고냉이술 오름과 그 북부 저지대 일원에는 봉개동현무암이 분포한다. 봉개동현무암은 아아 용암으로 주로 구성되며, 용암 켜 사이에 두터운 클링커를 협재하고 있다. 고냉이술 오름은 화산지형학적으로 하나의 독립된 소화산으로 만들어져 있으며, 고냉이술 오름의 산정부에는 낮은 외륜산릉으로 둘러싸여 있는 넓은 분화구를 가지고, 그 내부에는 분지형 함몰지인 여러 개의 피트 분화구(pit crater)를 가지는 용암순상화산이다. 고냉이술 오름의 저면 고도는 295 m에서 300 m (평균 297.5 m)이며, 최고봉의 고도는 304.5 m, 저면의 지름은 평 균 597.5 m, 비고는 7.9 m로 사면경사각은 1.5°이다. The geology of the Gonaengisool-oreum, Bonggae-dong, Jeju consists of Yeongpyeong-dong basalt, Shinan-dong basalt, Bonggae-dong basalt and cinder in ascending order. Yeongpyeong-dong and Shinan-dong basalt is situated at the mid-mountain slope in southern part of the Gonaengisool-oreum, and Bonggae-dong basalt is located at the Gonaengisool-oreum area and northern low foot of the mountain. Bonggae-dong basalt is aa lava flows with thick clinker. The Gonaengisool-oreum is isolated small volcano, that is, a lava shield having wide crater in the summit with several small pit craters. The average basal elevation of the Gonaengisool-oreum cone is 297.5 m(highest 300 m and lowest 295 m), and the highest summit is 304.5 m, average cone basal width is 597.5 m and cone height is 7.9 m, and mean slope of 1.5° for the flank of the shield cone.