The Lunar Mini-RF Radars: Hybrid Polarimetric Architecture and Initial Results

Raney, R. K.; Spudis, P. D.; Bussey, B.; Crusan, Jason; Jensen, J.R.; Marinelli, William J.; McKerracher, Priscilla; Neish, C. D.; Palsetia, Marzban; Schulze, R.; Sequeira, H. B.; Winters, Helene

doi:10.1109/jproc.2010.2084970

Cited by 104 publications

(100 citation statements)

References 21 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Areas with high-CPR measurements at both wavebands data are coincident with areas previously shown to be high in CPR in agreement with some previously obtained Earth- based radar data [Campbell et al, 2010;Carter et al, 2012]. The radar images consist of the four Stokes parameters and derived maps of CPR as well as other Stokes-derived products, including degree of linear polarization [Raney, 2007;Raney et al, 2011].…”

Section: Experiments Design and Instrument Descriptionsupporting

confidence: 88%

“…The Mini-RF flight instrument had to meet stringent mass and power constraints as well as accommodate a dual-linearly-polarized (H and V) antenna design as part of the technology demonstration theme of the experiment [Nozette et al, 2010;Raney et al, 2011]. Thus, an unusual analytical approach to look for ice was developed for the Mini-RF experiment [Raney, 2007].…”

Section: Experiments Design and Instrument Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We have found through analysis of the returned data that Mini-RF had an effective number of looks of about 6.7 [C.D. Neish, 2010, unpublished], as opposed to the planned 8 looks [Raney et al, 2011]. To extract high-quality CPR measurements, these data were averaged into 60 m pixel areas, transforming the original 7.5 m, 7 look pixels into 60 m, 49 look pixels.…”

Section: Data Coverage and Qualitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) mission payload was optimized to provide an abundance and diversity of data and information on the environment and deposits of the lunar polar regions [Chin et al, 2007]. The Mini-RF instrument is a synthetic aperture imaging radar that flew on both the Indian Space Research Organisation's Chandrayaan-1 (also called Mini-SAR (for miniature synthetic aperture radar) on that mission only) and on NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft [Spudis et al, 2009;Nozette et al, 2010;Raney et al, 2011]. Mini-RF was specifically designed to map the polar regions of the Moon, including the permanently dark, "cold-trap" areas, and characterize the RF properties and physical nature of the deposits there.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Evidence for water ice on the Moon: Results for anomalous polar craters from the LRO Mini‐RF imaging radar

et al. 2013

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

[1] The Mini-RF radar instrument on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft mapped both lunar poles in two different RF wavelengths (complete mapping at 12.6 cm S-band and partial mapping at 4.2 cm X-band) in two look directions, removing much of the ambiguity of previous Earth-and spacecraft-based radar mapping of the Moon's polar regions. The poles are typical highland terrain, showing expected values of radar cross section (albedo) and circular polarization ratio (CPR). Most fresh craters display high values of CPR in and outside the crater rim; the pattern of these CPR distributions is consistent with high levels of wavelength-scale surface roughness associated with the presence of block fields, impact melt flows, and fallback breccia. A different class of polar crater exhibits high CPR only in their interiors, interiors that are both permanently dark and very cold (less than 100 K). Application of scattering models developed previously suggests that these anomalously high-CPR deposits exhibit behavior consistent with the presence of water ice. If this interpretation is correct, then both poles may contain several hundred million tons of water in the form of relatively "clean" ice, all within the upper couple of meters of the lunar surface. The existence of significant water ice deposits enables both long-term human habitation of the Moon and the creation of a permanent cislunar space transportation system based upon the harvest and use of lunar propellant.

show abstract

Section: Experiments Design and Instrument Descriptionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Section: Experiments Design and Instrument Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Data Coverage and Qualitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Evidence for water ice on the Moon: Results for anomalous polar craters from the LRO Mini‐RF imaging radar

et al. 2013

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…CP SAR systems have been used in planetary imaging for some time. Most recently, the miniSAR on-board Chandrayaan-1 (Raney et al, 2010) collected CP SAR images of our moon (Carter et al, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Iceberg Detection Using Compact Polarimetric Synthetic Aperture Radar

Denbina

2012

Atmosphere-Ocean

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In recent years, the use of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) for iceberg detection has been increasing thanks to the greater availability and coverage of SAR data, particularly polarimetric data. Greater amounts of polarimetric information can increase detection performance, preventing false alarms and missed detections. However, quad-polarization (quad-pol) SAR systems have increased data rate and power usage requirements, causing quad-pol modes to have generally half the swath width of dual-polarization (dual-pol) modes. Compact polarimetry is a compromise that allows the approximation of quad-pol information (referred to as "pseudo quad-pol") using a dual-pol SAR. In this paper, using compact polarimetric data simulated from RADARSAT-2 quad-pol imagery, we show how pseudo-quad-pol data can be used for iceberg detection using the likelihood ratio test method. We show that use of the pseudo-quad-pol HV intensity can augment the detection performance of a compact polarimetric SAR system. We also compare the performance of the various compact polarimetric configurations to linearly polarized dual-pol and quad-pol data.RÉSUMÉ [Traduit par la rédaction] Ces dernières années, le radar à synthèse d'ouverture (RSO) a été de plus en plus utilisé pour la détection des icebergs grâce à une meilleure disponibilité et une meilleure couverture des données RSO, en particulier des données polarimétriques. De plus grandes quantités d'informations polarimé-tiques peuvent améliorer la performance de détection, ce qui évite les fausses alarmes et les détections manquées. Cependant, les systèmes RSO à quadruple polarisation (quad-pol) exigent des débits binaires et une consommation d'énergie plus élevés, de telle sorte que les modes quad-pol utilisent généralement une largeur de couloir la moitié moindre que celle des modes à double polarisation (dual-pol). La polarimétrie compacte est un compromis qui permet d'approximer l'information quad-pol (alors appelée « pseudo-quad-pol ») au moyen d'un RSO dual-pol. Dans cet article, en utilisant des données de polarimétrie compacte simulées à partir de l'imagerie RADAR-SAT-2 quad-pol, nous montrons comment les données pseudo-quad-pol peuvent servir à la détection des icebergs au moyen de la méthode du test du rapport des vraisemblances. Nous montrons que l'utilisation de l'intensité HV pseudo-quad-pol peut augmenter la performance de détection d'un système RSO polarimétrique compact. Nous comparons aussi la performance des diverses configurations polarimétriques compactes aux données dual-pol et quad-pol linéairement polarisées.

show abstract

The relationship between radar scattering and surface roughness of lunar volcanic features

et al. 2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Lunar roughness measurements derived from the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter are compared to 12.6 cm wavelength radar data collected by the Miniature Radio Frequency instrument and 70 cm wavelength radar data collected by the Arecibo Observatory. These data are compared to assess how surface and subsurface roughness are correlated and affected by parameters including age and composition at length scales between 0.1 and 100 m. A range of features are analyzed including volcanic domes (Marius Hills, Rümker Hills, Gruithuisen, and Mairan Domes); mare (Imbrium, Serenitatis, and Oceanus Procellarum); pyroclastic dark mantle deposits (Sinus Aestuum, Sulpicius Gallus, and Mare Vaporum); and two young craters (Copernicus and Tycho). Statistically significant positive correlations exist between topographic roughness and both P-and S-band circular polarization ratios. The strongest correlation is observed at the longest length scales. Correlations weaken as length scales become less similar, potentially due to distinct processes controlling surface modification. Roughness is not significantly correlated with local slope. Although the Marius Hills are compositionally distinct from the Gruithuisen and Mairan domes, they are indistinguishable in roughness characteristics. Conversely, the Rümker Hills, mare, and dark mantle deposits are smoother at the length scales examined, possibly due to fine-grained mantling of regolith or pyroclastic deposits. The floor and ejecta of Tycho are the roughest surfaces measured in this study, while the floor and ejecta of Copernicus overlap the roughness distribution of the volcanic features. This study shows that many factors control the evolution of roughness over time on various length scales.

show abstract

The Lunar Mini-RF Radars: Hybrid Polarimetric Architecture and Initial Results

Cited by 104 publications

References 21 publications

Evidence for water ice on the Moon: Results for anomalous polar craters from the LRO Mini‐RF imaging radar

Evidence for water ice on the Moon: Results for anomalous polar craters from the LRO Mini‐RF imaging radar

Iceberg Detection Using Compact Polarimetric Synthetic Aperture Radar

The relationship between radar scattering and surface roughness of lunar volcanic features

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About