Detectability of lunar plasma clouds from SELENE radio occultations

The SELENE mission includes a dual frequency S- and X-band occultation experiment for the exploration of plasma clouds above the lunar surface. The accuracy of the measurement is mainly limited by the influence of the turbulent media of the Earth's ionosphere and the solar wind plasma. The mission scenario will make accessible only the region along the lunar limb. Still, the radio communication system of the SELENE mission, which consists of three orbiters, is able to provide other occultation configuration. The proposed types of radio occultation will allow exclusion of the effect of the Earth's ionosphere and the solar wind plasma and occultation on both sides of the Moon. The sensitivity is expected to be better than 10(14) el/m(2). The occultation measurement together with the other SELENE mission experiments can present new information on the existence and the origin of the plasma clouds and the interaction of the solar wind with magnetic field anomalies on the surface of the Moon. (C) 2003 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.