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GAO Qiangshan, ZHANG Feng, DANG Ya’nan, et al. Microwave radar scattering characteristics of ring-moat dome structures in mare tranquillitatis on the moon[J]. Journal of Radars, in press. doi: 10.12000/JR25193
Citation: GAO Qiangshan, ZHANG Feng, DANG Ya’nan, et al. Microwave radar scattering characteristics of ring-moat dome structures in mare tranquillitatis on the moon[J]. Journal of Radars, in press. doi: 10.12000/JR25193
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Microwave Radar Scattering Characteristics of Ring-moat Dome Structures in Mare Tranquillitatis on the Moon

DOI: 10.12000/JR25193 CSTR: 32380.14.JR25193
  • 1.

    National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China

  • 2.

    Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China

  • 3.

    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

Funds:  The National Natural Science Foundation of China (62495034, 12273044, 12303065)
More Information
  • Corresponding author: ZHANG Feng, zhangfeng@nssc.ac.cn
  • Received Date: 2025-09-29
  • Rev Recd Date: 2026-05-20
    • Available Online: 2026-05-22
    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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