Abstract
I HAVE tested the accepted theory that there is a strong inverse relationship between brightness and polarization on the lunar surface, by measuring the polarization of several examples of “pure” maria (dark and light), highlands and mountains in five passbands with a photoelectric Wollaston polarimeter. The effective central wavelengths were 3360 Å, 3640 Å, 3830 Å, 4500 Å and 5340 Å and the bandwidths (half-response points) ranged from 330 to 560 Å. The short wavelengths are uncertain (± 30 Å) because of unknown atmospheric extinction. Observations of the 30 s of arc diameter regions were made within a sufficiently short period of time during each observing session that the lunar phase angle (−107°) did not change by more than ±1.5°. The probable error was ±0.06 per cent in polarization. The observations were made on June 14, 1967, and May 4, 1968, UT. Some of the regions were measured on both dates.
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PELLICORI, S. Polarization–Albedo Relationship for Selected Lunar Regions. Nature 221, 162 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1038/221162a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/221162a0
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