Lunar regolith thermal behavior revealed by Chang'E-1 microwave brightness temperature data

Abstract Microwave brightness temperature data obtained by the Chinese Chang'E-1 lunar orbiter are analyzed with the lunar diurnal variations filtered. Resulting maps from the high frequency microwave channel show lunar topographic signatures with close similarity to those seen in Clementine's lunar topography maps, while the low frequency channels reveal intriguing lunar surface properties not previously observed. Here we focus on two characteristics displayed by the filtered brightness temperature maps: in the high frequency maps the existence of an anti-correlation between daytime and nighttime brightness temperature deviations in certain regions (especially in the lunar maria), and in the low frequency maps the appearance of cold spots which correspond with the hot spots observed in the infrared during lunar eclipses.

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