Bistatic radar observations of the Moon using Mini-RF on LRO and the Arecibo Observatory

G. W. Patterson; A. M. Stickle; F. S. Turner; J. R. Jensen; D. B.J. Bussey; P. Spudis; R. C. Espiritu; R. C. Schulze; D. A. Yocky; D. E. Wahl; M. Zimmerman; J. T.S. Cahill; M. Nolan; L. Carter; C. D. Neish; R. K. Raney; B. J. Thomson; R. Kirk; T. W. Thompson; B. L. Tise; I. A. Erteza; C. V. Jakowatz

doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2016.05.017

Bistatic radar observations of the Moon using Mini-RF on LRO and the Arecibo Observatory

G. W. Patterson, A. M. Stickle, F. S. Turner, J. R. Jensen, D. B.J. Bussey, P. Spudis, R. C. Espiritu, R. C. Schulze, D. A. Yocky, D. E. Wahl, M. Zimmerman, J. T.S. Cahill, M. Nolan, L. Carter, C. D. Neish, R. K. Raney, B. J. Thomson, R. Kirk, T. W. Thompson, B. L. TiseI. A. Erteza, C. V. Jakowatz

Lunar and Planetary Lab

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

47 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Miniature Radio Frequency (Mini-RF) instrument aboard NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) is a hybrid dual-polarized synthetic aperture radar (SAR) that operated in concert with the Arecibo Observatory to collect bistatic radar data of the lunar nearside from 2012 to 2015. The purpose of this bistatic campaign was to characterize the radar scattering properties of the surface and near-surface, as a function of bistatic angle, for a variety of lunar terrains and search for a coherent backscatter opposition effect indicative of the presence of water ice. A variety of lunar terrain types were sampled over a range of incidence and bistatic angles; including mare, highland, pyroclastic, crater ejecta, and crater floor materials. Responses consistent with an opposition effect were observed for the ejecta of several Copernican-aged craters and the floor of the south-polar crater Cabeus. The responses of ejecta material varied by crater in a manner that suggests a relationship with crater age. The response for Cabeus was observed within the portion of its floor that is not in permanent shadow. The character of the response differs from that of crater ejecta and appears unique with respect to all other lunar terrains observed. Analysis of data for this region suggests that the unique nature of the response may indicate the presence of near-surface deposits of water ice.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	2-19
Number of pages	18
Journal	Icarus
Volume	283
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2016.05.017
State	Published - Feb 1 2017

Keywords

Ices
Impact processes
Moon
Radar observations
Regoliths

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2016.05.017

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Patterson, G. W., Stickle, A. M., Turner, F. S., Jensen, J. R., Bussey, D. B. J., Spudis, P., Espiritu, R. C., Schulze, R. C., Yocky, D. A., Wahl, D. E., Zimmerman, M., Cahill, J. T. S., Nolan, M., Carter, L., Neish, C. D., Raney, R. K., Thomson, B. J., Kirk, R., Thompson, T. W., ... Jakowatz, C. V. (2017). Bistatic radar observations of the Moon using Mini-RF on LRO and the Arecibo Observatory. Icarus, 283, 2-19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2016.05.017

Patterson, GW, Stickle, AM, Turner, FS, Jensen, JR, Bussey, DBJ, Spudis, P, Espiritu, RC, Schulze, RC, Yocky, DA, Wahl, DE, Zimmerman, M, Cahill, JTS, Nolan, M , Carter, L, Neish, CD, Raney, RK, Thomson, BJ, Kirk, R, Thompson, TW, Tise, BL, Erteza, IA & Jakowatz, CV 2017, 'Bistatic radar observations of the Moon using Mini-RF on LRO and the Arecibo Observatory', Icarus, vol. 283, pp. 2-19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2016.05.017

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title = "Bistatic radar observations of the Moon using Mini-RF on LRO and the Arecibo Observatory",

abstract = "The Miniature Radio Frequency (Mini-RF) instrument aboard NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) is a hybrid dual-polarized synthetic aperture radar (SAR) that operated in concert with the Arecibo Observatory to collect bistatic radar data of the lunar nearside from 2012 to 2015. The purpose of this bistatic campaign was to characterize the radar scattering properties of the surface and near-surface, as a function of bistatic angle, for a variety of lunar terrains and search for a coherent backscatter opposition effect indicative of the presence of water ice. A variety of lunar terrain types were sampled over a range of incidence and bistatic angles; including mare, highland, pyroclastic, crater ejecta, and crater floor materials. Responses consistent with an opposition effect were observed for the ejecta of several Copernican-aged craters and the floor of the south-polar crater Cabeus. The responses of ejecta material varied by crater in a manner that suggests a relationship with crater age. The response for Cabeus was observed within the portion of its floor that is not in permanent shadow. The character of the response differs from that of crater ejecta and appears unique with respect to all other lunar terrains observed. Analysis of data for this region suggests that the unique nature of the response may indicate the presence of near-surface deposits of water ice.",

keywords = "Ices, Impact processes, Moon, Radar observations, Regoliths",

author = "Patterson, {G. W.} and Stickle, {A. M.} and Turner, {F. S.} and Jensen, {J. R.} and Bussey, {D. B.J.} and P. Spudis and Espiritu, {R. C.} and Schulze, {R. C.} and Yocky, {D. A.} and Wahl, {D. E.} and M. Zimmerman and Cahill, {J. T.S.} and M. Nolan and L. Carter and Neish, {C. D.} and Raney, {R. K.} and Thomson, {B. J.} and R. Kirk and Thompson, {T. W.} and Tise, {B. L.} and Erteza, {I. A.} and Jakowatz, {C. V.}",

note = "Funding Information: We thank the LRO project and LROC team for their efforts and flexibility in accommodating the non-trivial operations involved in the Mini-RF bistatic campaign. We also thank the Mini-RF team for their efforts in processing and calibrating the data into the form presented here. The authors would also like to thank Paul Lucey and an anonymous reviewer, whose insightful comments helped to improve the manuscript. This work was supported by the LRO project, under contract with NASA. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2016 Elsevier Inc.",

year = "2017",

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doi = "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2016.05.017",

language = "English (US)",

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pages = "2--19",

journal = "Icarus",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Bistatic radar observations of the Moon using Mini-RF on LRO and the Arecibo Observatory

AU - Patterson, G. W.

AU - Stickle, A. M.

AU - Turner, F. S.

AU - Jensen, J. R.

AU - Bussey, D. B.J.

AU - Spudis, P.

AU - Espiritu, R. C.

AU - Schulze, R. C.

AU - Yocky, D. A.

AU - Wahl, D. E.

AU - Zimmerman, M.

AU - Cahill, J. T.S.

AU - Nolan, M.

AU - Carter, L.

AU - Neish, C. D.

AU - Raney, R. K.

AU - Thomson, B. J.

AU - Kirk, R.

AU - Thompson, T. W.

AU - Tise, B. L.

AU - Erteza, I. A.

AU - Jakowatz, C. V.

N1 - Funding Information: We thank the LRO project and LROC team for their efforts and flexibility in accommodating the non-trivial operations involved in the Mini-RF bistatic campaign. We also thank the Mini-RF team for their efforts in processing and calibrating the data into the form presented here. The authors would also like to thank Paul Lucey and an anonymous reviewer, whose insightful comments helped to improve the manuscript. This work was supported by the LRO project, under contract with NASA. Publisher Copyright: © 2016 Elsevier Inc.

PY - 2017/2/1

Y1 - 2017/2/1

N2 - The Miniature Radio Frequency (Mini-RF) instrument aboard NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) is a hybrid dual-polarized synthetic aperture radar (SAR) that operated in concert with the Arecibo Observatory to collect bistatic radar data of the lunar nearside from 2012 to 2015. The purpose of this bistatic campaign was to characterize the radar scattering properties of the surface and near-surface, as a function of bistatic angle, for a variety of lunar terrains and search for a coherent backscatter opposition effect indicative of the presence of water ice. A variety of lunar terrain types were sampled over a range of incidence and bistatic angles; including mare, highland, pyroclastic, crater ejecta, and crater floor materials. Responses consistent with an opposition effect were observed for the ejecta of several Copernican-aged craters and the floor of the south-polar crater Cabeus. The responses of ejecta material varied by crater in a manner that suggests a relationship with crater age. The response for Cabeus was observed within the portion of its floor that is not in permanent shadow. The character of the response differs from that of crater ejecta and appears unique with respect to all other lunar terrains observed. Analysis of data for this region suggests that the unique nature of the response may indicate the presence of near-surface deposits of water ice.

AB - The Miniature Radio Frequency (Mini-RF) instrument aboard NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) is a hybrid dual-polarized synthetic aperture radar (SAR) that operated in concert with the Arecibo Observatory to collect bistatic radar data of the lunar nearside from 2012 to 2015. The purpose of this bistatic campaign was to characterize the radar scattering properties of the surface and near-surface, as a function of bistatic angle, for a variety of lunar terrains and search for a coherent backscatter opposition effect indicative of the presence of water ice. A variety of lunar terrain types were sampled over a range of incidence and bistatic angles; including mare, highland, pyroclastic, crater ejecta, and crater floor materials. Responses consistent with an opposition effect were observed for the ejecta of several Copernican-aged craters and the floor of the south-polar crater Cabeus. The responses of ejecta material varied by crater in a manner that suggests a relationship with crater age. The response for Cabeus was observed within the portion of its floor that is not in permanent shadow. The character of the response differs from that of crater ejecta and appears unique with respect to all other lunar terrains observed. Analysis of data for this region suggests that the unique nature of the response may indicate the presence of near-surface deposits of water ice.

KW - Ices

KW - Impact processes

KW - Moon

KW - Radar observations

KW - Regoliths

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DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2016.05.017

M3 - Article

SN - 0019-1035

VL - 283

SP - 2

EP - 19

JO - Icarus

JF - Icarus

ER -

Bistatic radar observations of the Moon using Mini-RF on LRO and the Arecibo Observatory

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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