DFSAR Data-Based Integral Equation Modeling For Dielectric Characterization Of Lunar Taurus-Littrow Valley

The present study specifically focuses on the Integral Equation Modeling (IEM) of the DFSAR data obtained from Chandrayaan-2 to retrieve the dielectric properties of the Taurus-Littrow Valley. The Taurus-Littrow Valley region of the Moon, where the famous Apollo 17 lunar mission successfully landed, provides a fascinating opportunity for dielectric characterization through the use of DFSAR (dual-frequency synthetic aperture radar) data. During the mission, the astronauts collected samples from various locations in the valley, which were then used to measure the dielectric constants of the lunar surface through EVA (extravehicular activity) activities. This region is significant because it offers a unique perspective on the geology and physical properties of the Moon, and studying its dielectric properties could potentially shed light on its history and evolution. Recently, Indian Space Science Data Center (ISSDC) released the Chandrayaan-2 DFSAR data for the Apollo 17 landing site where Extravehicular activities (EVA) took place in 1972. The ground truth of five lunar stations coincides with the data strip utilized in this study. Dielectric values were retrieved by using IEM combined with an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) in a 3D setting. The actual dielectric constant values for the five stations under consideration were obtained from the Lunar Sourcebook by NASA and were 7.5, 3.175, 2.37, 2.32, and 3.21. The model-predicted values for the same stations were $7.21,4.12,3.11,4.49$, and 5.38 for the L band, and $8.72,5.69,4.09,6.30$, and 6.48 for the S band. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the IEM model in accurately predicting the dielectric constant values for varying surface conditions and highlight its potential for use in future studies and applications.