Large (∼80 km) Shield Volcanoes on the Moon Possibly Fed by Shallow Magma Reservoirs

Geophysical Research Letters 2026 Open access

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Authors: Le Qiao, James W. Head III, Denggao Qiu, Wei Cao, Luyuan Xu, Yiran Wang, Ruixin Li, Jian Chen, Jianguo Yan, Zongcheng Ling
DOI: 10.1029/2026gl121908
Cited by: 1
References: 40

Abstract

Abstract Large shield volcanoes are among the most prominent volcanic structures on terrestrial bodies. The Moon, while volcanically very active in the past and hosting various volcanic features, seems to lack such large shield volcanoes. Here, we report the identification of two lunar volcanic domes (Prinz‐Harbinger and Theophilus) with diameters around 80 km, significantly larger than previously confirmed lunar shield volcanoes (

Fields of Study & Subjects

Planetary Science and Exploration Astro and Planetary Science Geological and Geochemical Analysis

Publication details

Journal / source
Geophysical Research Letters
Publisher
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
Volume
53
Issue
15
Publication date
4 August 2026
Language
EN