A New Brightness Temperature Mapping Method for Weakening Latitude Effect With Chang’e-2 MRM Data and Its Geologic Significances

Brightness temperature (TB) derived from the Chang’e-2 microwave radiometer (MRM) data has provided a useful way to study the thermal and dielectric properties of the subsurface deposits on the Moon. However, the obvious TB change with the latitude, named latitude effect, has highly limited the application of the MRM data. To solve this problem, a new TB mapping method, named normalized TB (nTB) mapping method, is developed, which is defined as the ratio between the TB and the standard TB at the same point. Based on the newly derived global nTB maps, we identified and classified four types of subsurface deposits with distinct dielectric properties, two of which indicate the abnormally high heat flux or the existence of the granitic systems and the existence of the surface rocks, respectively. Moreover, the nTB at the daytime demonstrates a strong correlation with both the TiO2 and FeO abundances of subsurface deposits, the latter of which has been severely underestimated by the previous studies directly using MRM data. This work is significant to improve the understanding of the basaltic volcanism and thermal evolution of the Moon.