Probable swirls detected as photometric anomalies in Oceanus Procellarum

Shkuratov, Yu. G.; Kaydash, V. G.; Gerasimenko, S. Yu.; Opanasenko, N. V.; Velikodsky, Yu. I.; Korokhin, V. V.; Videen, Gorden; Pieters, C. M.

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2010.01.028

Cited by 38 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 40 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…These low Ly‐α albedo features are compelling as they were previously suggested to be “probable swirls” when examined in other data sets (Shkuratov et al, ). However, they lack similar geomorphology and show no association or proximity with magnetic lunar materials.…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 74%

“…As data sets of the Moon increase in number, so do the number of enigmatic regions with unique photometric properties identified (Denevi et al, ; Kaydash et al, ; Korokhin et al, ; Shkuratov et al, ). The most widely discussed enigmatic regions are lunar swirls, which have been characterized to have a high visible albedo, “wispy” or sinuous surface morphology, and are associated with magnetic anomalies, as well as curious photometric and hydration (or rather dehydration) characteristics relative to their surroundings (Blewett et al, ; Kinczyk et al, ; Kramer et al, ).…”

Section: Background On Photometrically Distinct Regionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

An Examination of Several Discrete Lunar Nearside Photometric Anomalies Observed in Lyman‐α Maps

et al. 2019

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Lyman Alpha Mapping Project has detected five discrete low‐albedo anomalies in Lyman‐α (Ly‐α; 121.6 nm) nighttime reflectance maps. These anomalies reside on the nearside of the Moon within the southeastern Oceanus Procellarum and northwestern Mare Nubium, coincident with regions that have been observed to be photometrically anomalous at visible wavelengths. Some of the spectral properties of these regions within near ultraviolet (NUV) to visible (VIS) wavelengths are consistent with lunar swirls, and they have been reported as “probable swirls” in at least one of these studies. However, while these regions have low Ly‐α normal albedo values relative to nearby highlands regions and are consistent with Ly‐α albedo observations of other swirls, they do not spectrally redden at wavelengths >160 nm as other swirls have been shown to do and they are not associated with regions of higher magnetic intensity. Interestingly, while these anomalies are not easily discerned in NUV single‐band images, the anomalies can be discerned in NUV color ratio composites of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera Wide‐Angle Camera. At least one anomaly observed in the far ultraviolet is not easily observed in the NUV. Additional analyses of their thermal emission Christiansen Feature values, empirically corrected for maturity, suggest that regolith maturity is what differentiates them from their surroundings. While these anomalies may not be swirls, they may represent an “endmember” to swirls minus the influence magnetic materials, which have been hypothesized to provide solar wind shielding. If true, they may provide additional insight into the generation of lunar swirls.

show abstract

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 74%

Section: Background On Photometrically Distinct Regionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Examination of Several Discrete Lunar Nearside Photometric Anomalies Observed in Lyman‐α Maps

et al. 2019

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The phase ratio method is a promising method of remote sensing. It allowed several photometric anomalies of the lunar surface in Oceanus Procellarum to be found; they are likely the regions of the recent falls of small meteoroid swarms that left shallow footprints in the lunar regolith layer (Shkuratov et al, 2010). It is curious that this fact was found from the digital images of the Moon obtained with, in fact, an amateur telescope (with an aperture of 0.5 m).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Structural disturbances of the lunar surface caused by spacecraft

Kaydash¹,

Shkuratov²

2012

Sol Syst Res

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

From the lunar surface survey performed with a narrow angle camera of the Lunar Reconnais sance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft, the distributions of the phase ratios of the Apollo 11 and 12 landing sites and the Ranger 9 impact site were mapped. In the acquired images, the traces of the structural disturbances of the lunar regolith layer caused by the jet flows are seen. In the Ranger 9 impact site, one can see the crater of about 15 m across with a ray system, which is hardly noticeable in the brightness picture, but has a high contract in the phase ratio picture. The character of the photometric anomaly of the rays of this crater shows that they are formed by the ejected stones composing the rugged relief, which induces a strong shadow effect. At the same time, the influence of jet flows from the rocket engines smooths the relief and leads to the photometric anomaly of the opposite sign. The estimate of the maturity degree of the lunar regolith in the Apollo 11 and 12 landing sites obtained from the SELENE spectral survey suggests that the depth of the influence of the rocket engines on the soil is small, and the surface of the impact crater formed by the Ranger 9 spacecraft con tains a large amount of the immature soil.

show abstract

“…The ratio image formed by dividing one of the images by the other highlights features for which the phase function departs from that of the majority of the scene. Phase-ratio images have been employed to identify differences in regolith texture at a number of locations on the Moon, including the use of telescopic images (Shkuratov et al, 2010) and Clementine ultraviolet-visible images (Kreslavsky and Shkuratov, 2003). Images from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter camera were used in phase-ratio studies of Apollo, Luna and Surveyor landing sites Shkuratov, 2012, 2014;Shkuratov et al, 2013;Clegg et al, 2014) and of such other features as impact craters Kepler and Cauchy , impact melts at Giordano Bruno crater , and haloes and rays around young craters .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%