Oceanus Procellarum and Mare Imbrium Lava Flows: A New Comparative Look Using Microwave Radiometer Data

Abstract Chang'E‐2 passive microwave radiometer (MRM) data from two frequency channels (3 and 37 GHz) were converted into brightness temperature ( T b ) maps to study large lunar mare provinces in Oceanus Procellarum and the Imbrium basin. Twenty‐four locations were identified with the largest differences between midday and midnight T b values. These areas were then analyzed and compared against 16 geochemical data sets. A numerical relationship was derived between iron, titanium and rock abundance using three sample points from large, young craters. Additionally, a 1,760 km cross‐section of the region of interest was investigated to assess potential common trends among the data sets and microwave radiance, finding the strongest correlation with elemental abundance estimations derived from gamma‐ray data. Longer‐wavelength data have the potential to probe deeper into the regolith layer and assess composition while minimizing the effects of surface contamination by allochthonous materials.