Lunar sub-surface remote sensing by spacebome microwave Interferometric Radiometers: Analysis and preliminary results

Author

Pompili, S. ; Tognolatti, P. ; Carlofelice, A. Di ; Marzano, F.S. ; Romano, P. ; Sciannella, C. ; Varchetta, S. ; Montopoli, M.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. & Inf. Eng., Univ. of L´´Aquila, L´´Aquila, Italy

fYear

2012

fDate

5-9 March 2012

Firstpage

1

Lastpage

4

Abstract

In this paper we propose a mission concept, called Lunar Interferometric Radiometer by Aperture Synthesis (LIRAS), which addresses the high-resolution mapping and vertical sounding of the Moon sub-surface for planetary analysis and studies. This is done by taking advantage of the antenna aperture synthesis technique applied to a multi-frequency microwave passive payload. The final objectives of this study are to demonstrate the technical feasibility of the LIRAS project and then, with the aid of microwave simulations of Moon soil behavior and the synthetic antenna aperture, to present a preliminary design of the LIRAS spacecraft system.

Keywords

lunar surface; radiometers; remote sensing; space vehicles; LIRAS project; Lunar Interferometric Radiometer by Aperture Synthesis; high resolution mapping; lunar subsurface remote sensing; multifrequency microwave passive payload; planetary analysis; spacebome microwave interferometric radiometer; vertical sounding; Bandwidth; Extraterrestrial measurements; Image resolution; Imaging; Radiometry; Soil; Soil measurements; interferometry; microwave radiometry; remote sensing of the Moon; synthetic aperture radiometry;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Microwave Radiometry and Remote Sensing of the Environment (MicroRad), 2012 12th Specialist Meeting on

Conference_Location

Rome

Print_ISBN

978-1-4673-1468-8

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/MicroRad.2012.6185270

Filename

6185270