Thermophysical Properties of Mare Tranquillitatis on the Moon: Insights from MRM Data
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Mare Tranquillitatis is one of the oldest maria, experiencing a long-lived thermal evolution history. This study employs microwave data from the Chang'e (CE)-2 Microwave Radiometer (MRM) to investigate the subsurface thermophysical characteristics of this region. To mitigate the effect of latitudinal variations found in mare, we applied two previously developed models: normalized brightness temperature (nTB) and effective brightness temperature difference (TBDeff). Based on these models, the novelty of this work lies in two aspects: first, a quantitative Pearson correlation analysis between TBDeff and TiO2abundance across 27 mapped basaltic units, which yields correlation coefficients of 0.85 at 3.0 GHz and 0.87 at 37 GHz; and second, a multi-frequency depth-stratified decomposition of controlling factors, including topography, regolith composition and rock abundance influences. Through the integrated analysis, the principal findings are as follows: (1) There exists a fundamental microwave difference within Mare Tranquillitatis, which is related to the large volcanic complex; (2) The distribution of TBDeff is primarily controlled by variations in TiO2abundance, revealing a positive correlation at different channels; (3) The correlation between elevated microwave anomalies and high intracrater rock abundance confirms the influence of blocky materials on local thermophysical properties. This study demonstrates the capability of CE-2 MRM data, aided by the nTB and TBDeff models, to decipher the complex processes shaping the lunar subsurface, thereby providing a robust framework for interpreting future lunar exploration data.
Language: English
Subfield: Space and Planetary Science
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,800
OpenAlex ID: W7225252000