Constructing a Complete Brightness Temperature Dataset of the Moon With Chang'e-2 Microwave Radiometer Data

The Chang'e (CE)-1/2 satellites carried microwave radiometers (MRMs), which supplied unique passive microwave data, supplementing visible, thermal infrared (TIR), and radar data in current lunar studies. However, the application of MRM data is constrained by the limited amount of the original dataset, which cannot express spatial variations at given local times. In this study, we present a novel approach to constructing a local-time brightness temperature (TB) model using barycentric interpolation based on Delaunay tetrahedralization. This model enables the generation of a complete TB dataset, producing TB maps that are both continuous and self-consistent in both spatial and temporal domains. Compared to the traditional methods, those generated in this work avoid a similar to 7-K bias on a global scale. Furthermore, the interpolated maps offer superior representations of the TB over time for various lunar surfaces. The preliminary evaluations on global and regional scales hint important application of MRM data in studying the geological features of the Moon.

Automated summary

In this study, a novel approach is presented to construct a local-time brightness temperature model using MRM data. The model generates continuous and self-consistent TB maps, offering superior representations of TB over time for various lunar surfaces. Preliminary evaluations suggest the important application of MRM data in studying the geological features of the Moon.