Research on microwave radiation features and lunar regolith parameters inversion of the Rümker region

Abstract

Chang’e-5 (CE-5) mission is expected to land and sample in the Rümker region, north of the Oceanus Procellarum. To select optimal sampling points, the microwave radiation features in this mare unit are analyzed, and the dielectric constant and thickness of lunar regolith are retrieved based on Chang’e lunar microwave sounder (CELMS) data. According to the microwave brightness temperature (TB) maps, TB varying with frequency at noon and midnight are different, in which noon TB increases with frequency, but midnight TB does not follow this rule. Moreover, there are differences among TB distributions at the three higher frequencies, especially in the southern part. In addition, a great TB difference between noon and midnight can be seen in Rümker E that shows higher daytime temperature but lower nighttime temperature The inversion results reveal that the dielectric constant is lower in the west and north, higher in the middle and east, and the largest value occurs in Rümker E. As for the regolith thickness, most areas are uniform and no more than 4 m, with the thickest and thinnest regolith appearing in the northwest and Rümker E, no less than 6 m and about 2.5 m, respectively. Considering the safety and operability of landing and sampling, the northwest with thick regolith is recommended, while the Rümker E should be eluded.