Speaker: Chunyu Ding

Affiliation: Shenzhen University

Academic title: Assistant Professor

Abstract:

The radar equipment carried by the Chang'E-3 (CE-3) mission marked the first deployment of rover-mounted ground-penetrating radar (GPR) to observe the lunar surface. This provided an unparalleled opportunity for a high-resolution investigation into the fine structure of the lunar regolith. This paper has revealed the presence of multiple discrete layers within the top 4 meters of the lunar regolith using high-frequency radar data from the CE-3 Yutu rover. Subsequently, we have established realistic models of the lunar regolith to obtain the radar simulation calculated by Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) technology. Thus, we compare the simulated radar data with actual observational data to comprehensively confirm the existence of multiple discrete layers within the lunar regolith. Taking into consideration the geological context of the CE-3 landing site and the principles of impact crater formation, we infer that the origin of the multiple discrete layers within the top 4 meters of the CE-3 landing site is likely the by-product of multiple depositions of ejecta from nearby small craters. This leads us to exclude volcanic ash deposition as a contributing factor. Our findings suggest the possibility of the widespread existence of multiple discrete layers within the lunar regolith and emphasize the significant contribution of ejecta from small impact craters to the accumulation of local lunar regolith thickness on the Moon's surface.

Biography:

Chunyu Ding received the Ph.D. degree in astronomy from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China, in 2017. He has been an Assistant Professor with the Institute of Advance Study, Shenzhen University since 2021. He is a Core Scientific Member of the Chinese Chang’E-4 Mission and also involves in the team on the radar group of the Chinese First Mars Mission, Tianwen-1. His research interests focus on the radar detection of terrestrial planets and the surface evolution of terrestrial bodies in the solar system, e.g., the Moon and Mars.