Potential Applications of CE-2 Microwave Radiometer Data in Understanding Basaltic Volcanism in Heavily Ejecta-Contaminated Mare Frigoris

Abstract

Mare Frigoris is the fifth largest and almost northernmost mare located on the near side of the Moon. Mare Frigoris has an elongated shape, with a length of approximately 1500 km and a width of approximately 200 km, which makes it susceptible to becoming contaminated by the impact ejecta from the nearby highlands. Comparatively speaking, microwave radiometer (MRM) data have good penetration capabilities. Therefore, the MRM data from Chang’e-2 satellite were employed to study the volumetric thermal emission features of basaltic deposits in Mare Frigoris. Combining the MRM data with the basaltic units with FeO and TiO2 abundances identified using the small crater rim and ejecta probing (SCREP) methodology and with the gravity from Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL), the four potential conclusions that were obtained are as follows: (1) The MRM data are strongly related to the (FeO + TiO2) abundance of pristine basalts and are less influenced by ejecta contamination; (2) in every quadrant of Mare Frigoris, the (FeO + TiO2) abundance of the basalt decreases with an increase in age; (3) at least in Mare Frigoris, the main influencing factor regarding the brightness temperature remains the (FeO + TiO2) abundance of surface deposits; (4) a warm microwave anomaly was revealed in the western-central and eastern-central areas of Mare Frigoris which has a strong relationship with the positive Bouguer gravity anomaly derived from GRAIL data in terms of spatial distribution. The results are significant in the context of improving our understanding the basaltic igneous rock and thermal evolution of the Moon using MRM data.