Initial observations from the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA)
Open accessAbstract
As of June 19, 2010, the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter, an instrument on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, has collected over 2.0 × 10 9 measurements of elevation that collectively represent the highest resolution global model of lunar topography yet produced. These altimetric observations have been used to improve the lunar geodetic grid to ∼10 m radial and ∼100 m spatial accuracy with respect to the Moon's center of mass. LOLA has also provided the highest resolution global maps yet produced of slopes, roughness and the 1064‐nm reflectance of the lunar surface. Regional topography of the lunar polar regions allows precise characterization of present and past illumination conditions. LOLA's initial global data sets as well as the first high‐resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) of polar topography are described herein.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Cites
The geologic history of the Moon
Wilhelms, D. E., McCauley, J. F., & Trask, N. J. (1987) · USGS professional paper · doi:10.3133/pp1348 · Cited by 1,128 · see citing works
The Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter Investigation on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission
Smith, D. E., Zuber, M. T., Jackson, G. B., Cavanaugh, J. F., Neumann, G. A., Riris, H., Sun, X., Zellar, R. S., Coltharp, C., Connelly, J., et al. (2010) · Space Science Reviews · doi:10.1007/s11214-009-9512-y · Cited by 515 · see citing works
Self-citationLunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Overview: The Instrument Suite and Mission
Chin, G., Brylow, S. M., Foote, M. C., Garvin, J. B., Kasper, J. C., Keller, J. W., Litvak, M. L., Mitrofanov, I. G., Paige, D. A., Raney, K., et al. (2007) · Space Science Reviews · doi:10.1007/s11214-007-9153-y · Cited by 406 · see citing works
Self-citationRecent Gravity Models as a Result of the Lunar Prospector Mission
Konopliv, A. S. (2001) · Icarus · doi:10.1006/icar.2000.6573 · Cited by 390 · see citing works
Kilometer‐scale roughness of Mars: Results from MOLA data analysis
Kreslavsky, M. A., & Head, J. W., III (2000) · Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres · doi:10.1029/2000je001259 · Cited by 372 · see citing works
Lunar Global Shape and Polar Topography Derived from Kaguya-LALT Laser Altimetry
Araki, H., Tazawa, S., Noda, H., Ishihara, Y., Goossens, S., Sasaki, S., Kawano, N., Kamiya, I., Otake, H., Oberst, J., et al. (2009) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1164146 · Cited by 301 · see citing works
The lunar crust: Global structure and signature of major basins
Neumann, G. A., Zuber, M. T., Smith, D. E., et al. (1996) · Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres · doi:10.1029/96je01246 · Cited by 231 · see citing works
Self-citationAstrometric and Geodetic Properties of Earth and the Solar System
Yoder, C. F. (2011) · AGU reference shelf · doi:10.1029/rf001p0001 · Cited by 182 · see citing works
Long-Lived Volcanism on the Lunar Farside Revealed by SELENE Terrain Camera
Haruyama, J., Ohtake, M., Matsunaga, T., et al. (2008) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1163382 · Cited by 176 · see citing works
Aharonson, O., Zuber, M. T., & Rothman, D. H. (2001) · Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres · doi:10.1029/2000je001403 · Cited by 133 · see citing works
Self-citationIllumination conditions at the lunar polar regions by KAGUYA(SELENE) laser altimeter
Noda, H., Araki, H., Goossens, S., Ishihara, Y., Matsumoto, K., Tazawa, S., Kawano, N., & Sasaki, S. (2008) · Geophysical Research Letters · doi:10.1029/2008gl035692 · Cited by 118 · see citing works
The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Laser Ranging Investigation
Zuber, M. T., Smith, D. E., Zellar, R. S., et al. (2009) · Space Science Reviews · doi:10.1007/s11214-009-9511-z · Cited by 118 · see citing works
Self-citationMatsumoto, K., Goossens, S., Ishihara, Y., et al. (2010) · Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres · doi:10.1029/2009je003499 · Cited by 113 · see citing works
Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter pulse width measurements and footprint‐scale roughness
Neumann, G. A., Abshire, J. B., Aharonson, O., et al. (2003) · Geophysical Research Letters · doi:10.1029/2003gl017048 · Cited by 107 · see citing works
Self-citationThe South Pole Region of the Moon as Seen by Clementine
SHOEMAKER, E. M., Robinson, M. S., & Eliason, E. M. (1994) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.266.5192.1851 · Cited by 102 · see citing works
Self-citationGLGM‐3: A degree‐150 lunar gravity model from the historical tracking data of NASA Moon orbiters
Mazarico, E., Lemoine, F. G., Han, S., et al. (2010) · Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres · doi:10.1029/2009je003472 · Cited by 55 · see citing works
Self-citationZuber, M. T., & Smith, D. E. (1997) · Geophysical Research Letters · doi:10.1029/97gl02111 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Self-citationNew features of the Moon revealed and identified by CLTM-s01
Huang, Q., Ping, J., Su, X., et al. (2009) · Science in China. Series G, Physics, mechanics & astronomy/Science in China. Series G, Physics, Mechanics & Astronomy · doi:10.1007/s11433-009-0284-x · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Lunar Pole Illumination and Communications Statistics Computed from GSSR Elevation Data
Bryant, S. H. (2010) · SpaceOps Conference (SpaceOps) · doi:10.2514/6.2010-1913 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Lunar Surface Roughness and Slope Statistics from LOLA
Rosenburg, M. A., Aharonson, O., Smith, D. E., et al. (2010) · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Self-citation
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
The global surface temperatures of the Moon as measured by the diviner lunar radiometer experiment
Williams, J.-P., Paige, D. A., Greenhagen, B. T., & Sefton-Nash, E. (2017) · Icarus · doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2016.08.012 · Cited by 533 · see citing works
Illumination conditions of the lunar polar regions using LOLA topography
Mazarico, E., Neumann, G. A., Smith, D. E., Zuber, M. T., & Torrence, M. H. (2011) · Icarus · doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2010.10.030 · Cited by 376 · see citing works
Self-citationSeasonal polar temperatures on the Moon
Williams, J. ‐., Greenhagen, B. T., Paige, D. A., Schorghofer, N., Sefton‐Nash, E., Hayne, P. O., Lucey, P. G., Siegler, M. A., & Aye, K. M. (2019) · Journal of Geophysical Research Planets · doi:10.1029/2019je006028 · Cited by 195 · see citing works
Self-citationPovilaitis, R. Z., Robinson, M. S., van der Bogert, C. H., Hiesinger, H., Meyer, H. M., & Ostrach, L. R. (2018) · Planetary and Space Science · doi:10.1016/j.pss.2017.05.006 · Cited by 113 · see citing works
Self-citationPersistently illuminated regions at the lunar poles: Ideal sites for future exploration
Speyerer, E. J., & Robinson, M. S. (2013) · Icarus · doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2012.10.010 · Cited by 103 · see citing works
Self-citationSpace Microgrids for Future Manned Lunar Bases: A Review
Saha, D., Bazmohammadi, N., Raya-Armenta, J. M., Bintoudi, A. D., Lashab, A., Vasquez, J. C., & Guerrero, J. M. (2021) · IEEE Open Access Journal of Power and Energy · doi:10.1109/oajpe.2021.3116674 · Cited by 64 · see citing works
Optimal Sizing and Siting of PV and Battery Based Space Microgrids Near the Moon’s Shackleton Crater
Saha, D., Bazmohammadi, N., Raya-Armenta, J. M., Bintoudi, A. D., Lashab, A., Vasquez, J. C., & Guerrero, J. M. (2023) · IEEE Access · doi:10.1109/access.2023.3239303 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
“NASA Artemis.”
InfluentialRaya Armenta, J. M., Bazmohammadi, N., Saha, D., Vasquez, J. C., & Guerrero, J. M. (2023) · Advances in Space Research · doi:10.1016/j.asr.2022.12.048 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
- Authors
- Smith, D. E., Zuber, M. T., Neumann, G. A., Lemoine, F. G., Mazarico, E., Torrence, M. H., McGarry, J. F., Rowlands, D. D., Head, J. W., Duxbury, T. H., Aharonson, O., Lucey, P. G., Robinson, M. S., Barnouin, O. S., Cavanaugh, J. F., Sun, X., Liiva, P., Mao, D., Smith, J. C., & Bartels, A. E.
- Affiliations
- Goddard Space Flight Center (US)
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US)
- Stinger Ghaffarian Technologies (United States) (US)
- Department of Geological Sciences Brown University Providence Rhode Island USA
- George Mason University (US)
- California Institute of Technology (US)
- University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (US)
- Arizona State University (US)
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (US)
- Sigma Space (United States) (US)
- ORCID
- Venue
- Geophysical Research Letters
- Publisher
- American Geophysical Union (AGU)
- Published
- 2010-09
- Volume
- 37
- Issue
- 18
- ISSN
- 0094-8276 (ISSN-L)
- 1944-8007
- OpenAlex
- W1489335540
- Cited by
- 518
- References
- 20
- Citations by year
- 2026: 34 · 2025: 44 · 2024: 34 · 2023: 36 · 2022: 30 · 2021: 30 · 2020: 33 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 28 · 2017: 35 · 2016: 31 · 2015: 27 · 2014: 49 · 2013: 29 · 2012: 36
- FWCI
- 14.98
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- hdl.handle.net
- Licence
- Locations
- Geophysical Research Letters (publishedVersion)
- CaltechAUTHORS (California Institute of Technology) (submittedVersion)
- DSpace@MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- Funders
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Planetary Science and Exploration
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Astro and Planetary Science
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Ocean Engineering › Satellite Image Processing and Photogrammetry
- Keywords
- Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, lunar topography, digital elevation model, lunar polar regions, lunar surface reflectance, lunar surface roughness, lighting conditions, lunar gravity field
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
