Study of Space Weathering from the Spectral Trends on the Lunar Surface
Abstract
Reflectances at 750 nm and 950 nm are the data that are commonly used for studying the degree of space weathering on the lunar surface regolith. As it matures, the regolith becomes darker and redder due to the continuous bombardments of solar wind particles and/or micrometeors. We find that the the imprint of space weathering can be found not only from the reflectance and color of the regolith, but also from the local distribution of regolith reflectance and color. Image pixels in a small area on the lunar surface generally have a narrow stream-like distribution in the reflectance (750 nm) vs. color (750 nm/950 nm) diagram. We quantify such streams (spectral trends) with a length, skewness, and an angle from the horizontal line, and find that these quantities are closely related to the iron content and the age of the local regolith. We argue that these quantities can be used as an age estimator for craters and sometimes for other flat areas on the Moon as well. We compare these quantities with other age estimators such as diameter-to-depth of craters and crater statistics.
- Publication:
-
43rd COSPAR Scientific Assembly. Held 28 January - 4 February
- Pub Date:
- January 2021
- Bibcode:
- 2021cosp...43E.353K