Microwave Thermal Emission at Tycho Area and Its Geological Significance

Tycho crater is the most prominent crater of Copernican era, the study on whose microwave thermal emission (MTE) can help us better understand the internal structures of the Moon surface. In this paper, the spatial and temporal features of the MTE at Tycho area are studied using the microwave sounder [Chang'E Lunar Microwave Sounder (CELMS)] data combined with TiO2 abundance, surface slope and roughness, and rock abundance data of the lunar regolith. The results indicate that Tycho crater is not only a hot spot at the southern crater wall, but also a cold spot at the northern crater floor. Moreover, the surface slope and its orientation is the dominant factor influencing the thermal anomalies at Tycho crater, whereas the surface roughness, rock abundance, and TiO2 abundance have a lesser effect. Furthermore, the brightness temperature difference data indicate variations between the surface and substrate structure, demonstrating the potential applications of the CELMS data for geological studies of the Moon surface.