Science · 2009 · 301 citations · 9 references
Natural SciencesEarth SciencesGeologyPlanetary GeologyPlanetary GeophysicsPlanetary ScienceLunar GeologyPlanetary GeodesyPlanetary MoonsPlanetary SurfacesPlanetary TopographyTopographic MappingGlobal TopographyIsostatic AdjustmentIsostatic CompensationLaser AltimetryLunar Surface MorphologyRigid Support SystemsSpherical Harmonic AnalysisTopographic Support
A global lunar topographic map with a spatial resolution of finer than 0.5 degree has been derived using data from the laser altimeter (LALT) on board the Japanese lunar explorer Selenological and Engineering Explorer (SELENE or Kaguya). In comparison with the previous Unified Lunar Control Network (ULCN 2005) model, the new map reveals unbiased lunar topography for scales finer than a few hundred kilometers. Spherical harmonic analysis of global topographic data for the Moon, Earth, Mars, and Venus suggests that isostatic compensation is the prevailing lithospheric support mechanism at large scales. However, simple rigid support is suggested to dominate for the Moon, Venus, and Mars for smaller scales, which may indicate a drier lithosphere than on Earth, especially for the Moon and Venus.
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Free software helps map and display data
Paul Wessel, Walter H. F. Smith · Eos · 1991 · 4.1K citations
The Shape and Internal Structure of the Moon from the Clementine Mission
M. T. Zuber, David E. Smith, F. G. Lemoine et al. · Science · 1994 · 396 citations