Calibration Against the Moon. I: A Disk-Resolved Lunar Model for Absolute Reflectance Calibration

Abstract

We present a model of the absolute radiance of the disk-resolved Moon at visible to near infrared wavelengths. It has been developed in order to use the Moon as a calibration reference, particularly by space-based sensors observing the Earth. We begin with the development of Hillier et al. (Hillier, J., Buratti, B., Hill, K.[1999]. Icarus 141, 205-225) for the reflectance as a function of phase angle and base the lunar reflectance on the Clementine 0.750 mum basemap. We adopt Hapke's (Hapke, B. [2002], Icarus 157. 523-534) expression for the multiple scattering term, including the more accurate approximation to the Chandrasekhar H function. The geometry is based on the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Lunar Ephemeris DE421, and the topographic slope is from the Kaguya-LALT laser altimetry (Araki, II., and 10 colleagues [2009]. Science 323, 897-900). We define three types of terrain by combining the reflectance from the Clementine basemap and the topographic model to specify maria, highlands, and crater regions, and allow mixed types between each class. Parameters of the model are solved for as a function of surface type and wavelength by comparison against data "chips" from the Robotic Lunar Observatory (ROLO; Kieffer, II. II.. Stone. T. C. [2005]. Astron J. 129, 2887-2901). The reflectance in any waveband maybe computed by spectral interpolation of the model predictions relative to the scaled Apollo 16 soil spectrum. The accuracy of the model, evaluated against ROLO imagery, was found to be 2-4%.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2010
Accession Number
ADA537860

Entities

People

  • Edward J. Kennelly
  • Kathleen E. Kraemer
  • Ryan Aschbrenner
  • Stephan D. Price

Organizations

  • Atmospheric and Environmental Research, Inc

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Sensors
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accuracy
  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • Altimetry
  • Backscattering
  • Calibration
  • Ephemerides
  • Forward Scattering
  • Geometry
  • Jet Propulsion
  • Measurement
  • Observatories
  • Reflectance
  • Scattering
  • Space Based
  • Spacecraft
  • Surface Properties
  • Surface Roughness

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Geodesy
  • Space Exploration and Orbital Mechanics.
  • Spectroscopy.

Technology Areas

  • AI & ML
  • AI & ML - Bayesian Inference
  • Autonomy
  • Directed Energy
  • Space
  • Space - Orbital Debris