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Title:
KAGUYA laser altimeter (LALT) initial results on lunar impact structures
Authors:
Sasaki, Sho; Ishihara, Yoshiaki; Noda, Hirotomo; Araki, Hiroshi; Laser Altimeter (Lalt) in Emiko Migita, Kaguya; Tazawa, Seiichi
Affiliation:
AA(National Astronomical Observatory of Japan),AB(National Astronomical Observatory of Japan),AC(National Astronomical Observatory of Japan),AD(National Astronomical Observatory of Japan),AE(National Astronomical Observatory of Japan),AF(National Astronomical Observatory of Japan)
Publication:
37th COSPAR Scientific Assembly. Held 13-20 July 2008, in Montréal, Canada., p.2739
Publication Date:
00/2008
Origin:
ADS
Comment:
Symposium B, session 01 (oral / poster). Paper number: B01-0022-08
Bibliographic Code:
2008cosp...37.2739S

Abstract

The main orbiter of Japanese lunar explorer KAGUYA(SELENE) has laser altimeter (LALT) which measures the distance between the orbiter and the lunar surface. Detecting the delay time of reflecting laser pulse from the surface, LALT can determine the lunar topography with the accuracy better than 5m. After the initial checkout of the instrument, LALT started the nominal continuous observation on 30 December 2007 and it scanned the whole lunar surface once by mid January 2008. KAGUYA LALT can detect reflected signals day and night. Therefore LALT can scan the lunar globe in a half month. By late June, we will have 12 times scans of the lunar surface. At that time, the spatial resolution will be 2.4km at the equator in the longitudinal direction. Since pulse frequency is 1 second, the resolution in the latitudinal direction is 1.5km. The spatial resolution will be one order of magnitude better than that of Clementine altimeter. Also LALT covers high-latitude and polar regions where Clementine LIDAR did not obtain data. LALT can clarify the presence and shape of craters as well as large impact structure. Previously unresolved heights of central peaks of large craters are obtained. Within the farside highland, several large impact structures show multi-ring morphologies some of which are obscure. The farside impact structures would be corresponding to gravity patterns, which will be also obtained by KAGUYA gravity instruments. In the nearside, LALT preliminary data would suggest hidden impact structures within the mare region.
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