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Microwave brightness temperature of cratered lunar surface and inversions of the physical temperature profile and thickness of regolith layer
Author(s) -
Gong Xiaohui,
Jin YaQiu
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
radio science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.371
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1944-799X
pISSN - 0048-6604
DOI - 10.1029/2011rs004791
Subject(s) - regolith , brightness temperature , equator , polar , latitude , astrobiology , brightness , geology , thermal , radiative transfer , geophysics , atmospheric sciences , optics , geodesy , meteorology , physics , astronomy
Based on the multichannel brightness temperature observations of Chinese Chang'E‐1 lunar satellite, inversions of the physical temperature profile of the lunar regolith medium and its layer thickness are discussed. The correspondence of the brightness temperature distribution to the lunar topography is demonstrated and discussed, especially around lunar polar regions under poor solar illumination. As examples, in two areas, along the lunar equator and along the line of longitude 150°W, the physical temperature profile of regolith layer and its thickness are inverted using a three‐layer model of thermal radiative transfer. The results which are based on some Apollo measurements are compared with an empirical formulation of the physical temperature as a function of latitude.