Lunar regolith structure model and echo simulation for Lunar Penetrating Radar

A Lunar Penetrating Radar (LPR) based on time domain Ultra Wide Band (UWB) technique is currently within the scope of China´s Chang-E 3 (CE-3) lunar mission, with the purpose of studying the subsurface structure of the Moon. Exploring the UWB microwave radiation and transfer properties of lunar regolith and establishing a reasonable inverse model are essential for the estimation of the thickness of lunar regolith. In this study, a multi-layer microwave transfer model is established. The model is further used to numerically simulate and analyze the variations of the echo obtained from the LPR attached on CE-3 with time, location and thickness of lunar regolith. The thickness of lunar regolith is calculated by the comparison between the simulated radar B-scan images based on the model and the detective result taken form CE-3 lunar mission. The potential scientific return from LPR echoes taken form landing region is also discussed.