Mathematics – Logic
Scientific paper
Dec 2009
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009agufm.u21c..02r&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2009, abstract #U21C-02
Mathematics
Logic
[5464] Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets / Remote Sensing, [5494] Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets / Instruments And Techniques, [6250] Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects / Moon
Scientific paper
The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) went into lunar orbit on 23 June 2009. The LRO Camera (LROC) acquired its first lunar images on June 30 and commenced full scale testing and commissioning on July 10. The LROC consists of two narrow-angle cameras (NACs) that provide 0.5 m scale panchromatic images over a combined 5 km swath, and a wide-angle camera (WAC) to provide images at a scale of 100 m per pixel in five visible wavelength bands (415, 566, 604, 643, and 689 nm) and 400 m per pixel in two ultraviolet bands (321 nm and 360 nm) from the nominal 50 km orbit. Early operations were designed to test the performance of the cameras under all nominal operating conditions and provided a baseline for future calibrations. Test sequences included off-nadir slews to image stars and the Earth, 90° yaw sequences to collect flat field calibration data, night imaging for background characterization, and systematic mapping to test performance. LRO initially was placed into a terminator orbit resulting in images acquired under low signal conditions. Over the next three months the incidence angle at the spacecraft’s equator crossing gradually decreased towards high noon, providing a range of illumination conditions. Several hundred south polar images were collected in support of impact site selection for the LCROSS mission; details can be seen in many of the shadows. Commissioning phase images not only proved the instruments’ overall performance was nominal, but also that many geologic features of the lunar surface are well preserved at the meter-scale. Of particular note is the variety of impact-induced morphologies preserved in a near pristine state in and around kilometer-scale and larger young Copernican age impact craters that include: abundant evidence of impact melt of a variety of rheological properties, including coherent flows with surface textures and planimetric properties reflecting supersolidus (e.g., liquid melt) emplacement, blocks delicately perched on terraces and rims, and both large and small radial and circumferential ejecta patterns, reflecting their ballistic emplacement and interaction with pre-existing topography and that created by earlier ejecta, extending out more than a crater diameter. Early efforts at reducing NAC stereo observations to topographic models show spatial resolutions of 2.5 m to 5 m will be possible from the 50 km orbit. Systematic seven-color WAC observations will commence at the beginning of the primary mapping phase. A key goal of the LROC experiment is to characterize future exploration targets in cooperation with the NASA Constellation program. By the end of the commissioning phase all fifty high priority targets will have partial reconnaissance mode coverage (0.5 m to 2 m per pixel).
Eliason E.
Hiesinger Harald
Jolliff Brad L.
Malin Michael C.
McEwen Alfred
No associations
LandOfFree
LROC - Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with LROC - Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and LROC - Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1775052