Lunar Crater Ejecta: Physical Properties Revealed by Radar and Thermal Infrared Observations

Abstract: We investigate the physical properties, and changes through time, of lunar impact ejecta using radar and thermal infrared data. We use data from two instruments on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) – the Diviner thermal radiometer and the Miniature Radio Frequency (Mini-RF) radar instrument – together with Earth-based radar observations. We use this multiwavelength intercomparison to constrain block sizes and to distinguish surface from buried rocks in proximal ejecta deposits. We find t…