Search

The Chinese Chang' E lunar rover was equipped with a passive microwave radiometer (MRM) to measure for the first time the brightness temperature from the lunar surface. The brightness temperature is the base of inversion of lunar regolith thickness and lunar regolith parameters. Based on MRM 2C-level data from Chang' E-2, the models of diurnal variation of the brightness temperature in the four channels are established separately at different latitudes. Based on these models, microwave maps of the moon were constructed using hour angle calibration. The results were combined with a comparison of CCD images and DEM data showing that brightness temperature data com-mendably reflects the lunar terrain characteristics and lunar surface reflectivity. Abnormal areas of lunar brightness temperature based on brightness temperature data were analyzed at high frequency, which shows that all are fresh impact craters from the Copernican period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]