Microwave Radar Scattering Characteristics of Ring-Moat Dome Structures in Mare Tranquillitatis on the Moon
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摘要: 环形凹陷穹丘(RMDS)是发育于月海玄武岩表面的一类小型穹隆构造。其平均高度仅3~4 m,直径约200 m,形态低缓;因其数量巨大,已成为理解月球火山活动与岩浆热力学行为的重要研究对象。尽管光学遥感观测结果支持RMDSs的火山作用成因机制,但仍有学者提出了其他可能性。因此,其成因的确证仍需更多地质证据的支撑。微波雷达因其穿透性而具备探测月面次表层结构与物理特性的独特优势,然而截至目前,针对RMDSs微波雷达散射特征的研究仍处于空白。该文重点利用星载雷达微型射频仪(Mini-RF)和地基雷达阿雷西博(Arecibo)的S波段(波长12.6 cm)数据,以静海盆地月海表面一RMDSs密集分布区为研究区,开展其雷达后向散射功率和圆极化率(CPR)等特征分析。结果显示:(1) RMDSs以低后向散射功率为基本特征,这与泡沫岩浆成因理论预测的雷达弱散射特征高度吻合。该理论认为,RMDSs表面约2~3 m深度范围内覆盖的亚毫米级细粒物质,是导致其呈现低强度雷达散射回波的主要原因;(2)受撞击作用、地形起伏及物质坡移等因素的影响,部分RMDSs局部区域表现出不同程度的后向散射增强特征,但长期风化会弱化这一特征;(3) RMDSs的雷达散射系数及CPR均值统计结果均与火山碎屑堆积物高度接近,这表明二者的表面物理性质相似,其表面物质颗粒尺度应与以微米至毫米级细颗粒为主的火山碎屑物相当。上述研究进一步证实,多波段、高分辨率、多极化雷达数据能够为RMDSs的精细化研究提供更丰富的地质证据。这不仅深化了对RMDSs形成与演化机制的认识,同时也为后续月表火山地貌的微波遥感探测研究提供了有价值的参考。Abstract: The ring-moat dome structure (RMDS) is a small-scale domical landform that develops on the lunar mare basalt surface. With an average height of only 3–4 m and a mean diameter of approximately 200 m, these features display a low-relief morphology. Owing to their abundance, RMDSs have become an important subject for understanding lunar volcanic activity and magmatic thermodynamic processes. Although optical remote sensing observations support a volcanic origin for RMDSs, alternative hypotheses have been proposed. Therefore, confirming their genesis requires further geological evidence. Microwave radar provides a distinct advantage in probing the subsurface structure and physical properties of the Moon owing to its penetrative capability. However, to date, no studies have examined the microwave radar scattering characteristics of RMDSs. This paper therefore analyzes the radar backscatter power and circular polarization ratio (CPR) characteristics of RMDSs using S-band (12.6 cm wavelength) data acquired by the spaceborne Miniature Radio Frequency (Mini-RF) instrument and the ground-based Arecibo radar. The study area is a region densely populated with RMDSs on the mare surface within the Mare Tranquillitatis basin. The results indicate the following: 1) RMDSs exhibit low backscatter power, which is highly consistent with the weak radar scattering predicted by the foamy magma genetic model. According to this model, the primary cause of the low-intensity radar echo is the presence of submillimeter-scale fine-grained materials within the uppermost ~2–3 m depth range. 2) Influenced by impact cratering, topographic variations, and mass wasting, some RMDSs display localized enhancement of backscatter to varying degrees; however, prolonged space weathering diminishes this effect. 3) The mean statistical values of the radar backscatter coefficient and the CPR for RMDSs are remarkably close to those of pyroclastic deposits, indicating that their surface physical properties are analogous and that the particle size of their surface materials should be comparable to those of pyroclastic materials, which are predominantly fine-grained particles in the micrometer-to-millimeter range. These findings further confirm that multiband, high-resolution, and multipolarization radar data can yield richer geological evidence for the detailed investigation of RMDSs. This not only deepens the understanding of RMDS formation and evolutionary mechanisms but also provides a valuable reference for future microwave remote sensing exploration of lunar volcanic landforms.
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Key words:
- Ring Moat Dome Structure (RMDS) /
- Microwave radar /
- Mare basalt /
- Volcanism /
- The Moon
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表 1 RMDSs与其他火山地貌的雷达散射特征均值统计表
Table 1. Statistical results of mean radar scattering characteristics for RMDSs and other volcanic landforms
特征描述 OC散射系数(dB) CPR值 样本数 撞击坑溅射物覆盖的RMDSs –13.70±1.64 0.47±0.23 256 –12.52±1.54 0.56±0.26 172 –11.64±1.65 0.59±0.28 118 –13.93±2.01 0.45±0.23 1063 –10.81±1.68 0.52±0.30 188 –10.44±1.49 0.52±0.25 150 与撞击坑叠置的RMDSs –13.74±2.40 0.52±0.21 771 –14.67±2.01 0.49±0.25 96 表面有亮色小坑的RMDSs –16.46±1.70 0.34±0.18 4711 –16.31±1.89 0.35±0.19 2486 无撞击作用影响的RMDSs –16.95±1.75 0.37±0.24 155 –16.58±1.71 0.32±0.17 171 火山碎屑堆积物 –15.71±1.20 0.31±0.08 / –16.85±1.30 0.33±0.08 / Ina月海斑块内石块单元 –10.55±3.76 0.40±0.19 / 月海斑块内退化撞击坑溅射物 –12.20±1.45 0.49±0.09 / –12.52±1.99 0.49±0.14 / -
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