Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

(LAC-24) Geologic map of the Sinus Iridum quadrangle of the moon

January 9, 2023

The Sinus Iridum quadrangle includes the northwestern sector of Mare Imbrium, the Sinus Iridum embayment, the arcuate Montes Jura which partly surround Sinus Iridum, and several terra islands in the mare such as the Montes Teneriffe, Montes Recti, and C. Herschel. Mare Imbrium occupies a complex depression or basin consisting of an inner basin and several outer concentric troughs separated by raised rings (Hartmann and Kuiper, 1962). The center and much of the inner basin part of the first raised ring, and part of the first trough lie within and quadrangle. The terra islands are exposed parts of the first raised ring, which is approximately 670 km in diameter. Sinus Iridum embays a simpler and smaller structure, a crater 250 km in diameter (herein referred to as the Iridum crater) whose partly exposed rim crest is the Montes Jura. Mare ridges overlie buried parts of the inner Imbrium ring and the Iridum crater rim crest.

Publication Year 2023
Title (LAC-24) Geologic map of the Sinus Iridum quadrangle of the moon
DOI 10.5066/P9XAQZ7Q
Authors G. G. Schaber
Product Type Data Release
Record Source USGS Digital Object Identifier Catalog
USGS Organization Astrogeology Science Center