The First Ground-based White Light Lunar Polarization Imaging: A New Kind of FeO Observation on the Near Side of the Moon

Abstract Lunar optical polarization is a fascinating phenomenon that occurs when sunlight reflects off the surface of the Moon and becomes polarized. This study employs a novel split-focus plane polarimetric camera to conduct the initial white light polarimetric observations on the near side of the...

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Published inResearch in astronomy and astrophysics Vol. 24; no. 6; pp. 61001 - 61006
Main Authors Wang, Wei-Nan, Ping, Jin-Song, Wang, Ming-Yuan, Zhang, Wen-Zhao, Ye, Han-Lin, Han, Xing-Wei, Kou, Song-Feng
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Beijing National Astromonical Observatories, CAS and IOP Publishing 01.06.2024
IOP Publishing
Subjects
Hemispheres
Iron oxides
Lunar maria
Lunar soil
Lunar surface
methods: observational
Moon
Optical polarization
Parameters
Polarimetry
Polarization
Sunlight
techniques: photometric
White light
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Summary:Abstract Lunar optical polarization is a fascinating phenomenon that occurs when sunlight reflects off the surface of the Moon and becomes polarized. This study employs a novel split-focus plane polarimetric camera to conduct the initial white light polarimetric observations on the near side of the Moon. We obtained the linear degree of polarization (DOP) parameters of white light by observation from the eastern and western hemispheres of the Moon. The findings indicate that the white light polarization is lower in the lunar highland than in the lunar maria overall. Combining the analysis of lunar soil samples, we noticed and determined that the DOP parameters of white light demonstrate high consistency with iron oxide on the Moon. This study may serve as a new diagnostic tool for the Moon.
Bibliography:RAA-2023-0399.R2
ISSN:1674-4527
2397-6209
DOI:10.1088/1674-4527/ad44f1