Investigating Diurnal Changes in the Normal Albedo of the Lunar Surface at 1064 nm: A New Analysis with the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter

Abstract: The thermal environment of the lunar surface is extreme. At the equator, temperatures drop ~300 K between local noon and night. Laboratory studies demonstrate that minerals common to the lunar surface (e.g.,pyroxene, olivine) show spectral changes with respect to temperature in near infrared wavelengths. Over temperature changes equivalent to the lunar thermal environment (?T ˜ 300K), the reflectance of pure pyroxene samples can vary by a factor of two.