Internal Structures of Highlands in Western Lunar Farside Revealed by CE-2 CELMS Data

Abstract

The internal structures are the key to understand the surface evolution of the Moon. However, the study of such kind is absent. In this study, the Chang'e-2 microwave radiometer data are employed to explore the internal structures in the highlands of the western lunar farside combined with the FeO+TiO2 abundance data and the rock abundance data. The results are as follows. First, a new view on the cratering mechanism is proposed according to the brightness temperature (TB) performances and the estimated rock abundances in King, Bruno, and Necho craters. Second, the influential mechanism of the rocks on the TB is initially identified by the thermal anomalies at noon and night. Third, a special hidden hot anomaly centered at (109.4°E, 6.9°N) northwest to King crater is revealed by the 3.0 GHz map at noon and night but its causes are still unclear. Fourth, the cause of the belt anomaly from Bruno crater to Necho crater has likely resulted from the impact ejecta of King crater. Finally, the highlands in the study area are divided into four units with distinct TB performances. Generally, the TB maps show a different view compared with the optical and thermal infrared data, which is important to improve understanding the surface evolution of the Moon.

Keywords

• CELMS data
• internal structures
• microwave propagation
• thermal anomaly
• thermophysical features
• western lunar farside