Mondtopographie

Mondtopographie, or lunar topography, is the study of the Moon’s surface relief and the three-dimensional relationships of its terrain. It combines imaging, laser altimetry, photogrammetry, and gravimetric data to produce digital elevation models, slope maps, and models of crustal structure. The goal is to quantify elevations, depths, and the spatial organization of features across the lunar surface.

Major data sources include laser altimetry from missions such as the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LOLA), stereo imagery from orbiting cameras, and legacy datasets from the Clementine and Lunar Orbiter programs. Gravity information from the GRAIL mission complements topographic data by constraining subsurface density variations and large-scale structures like mascons. Collectively, these datasets enable high-resolution global and regional maps of lunar terrain.

Global topography reveals a dichotomy of mare basins and highland regions, intricate cratered terrains, and large impact basins with complex rims and central peaks. Polar regions present unique topographic challenges and opportunities, with permanently shadowed areas and steep slopes that influence illumination, shadowing, and potential landing site selection. Topographic analyses also address crater depth-diameter relationships, basin formation, and the distribution of volcanic and tectonic features.

Applications include landing site selection, mission planning and hazard assessment for landers and rovers, and scientific investigations into the Moon’s formation and thermal and geological evolution. Ongoing improvements in topographic models arise from new altimetric, stereo, and gravity data, refining our understanding of the Moon’s surface and subsurface structure.