Lunar Irradiance Model ESA: LIME

This project aimed to determine an improved lunar irradiance model with sub-2% radiometric uncertainty, based on new lunar observations carried out with a lunar photometer operated from the Pico Teide in Tenerife (Spain).

Following instrument characterisation and calibration, the instrument was continuously operated since March 2018 and provides about a hundred lunar irradiance observations per year from which the LIME model is derived.

The LIME toolbox is now available to users and allows to simulate output of the model and compare these to actual lunar observations. The model output was compared the original ROLO/GIRO model and to satellite observations of the Moon.

The project is lead by the National Physical Laboratory (UK) in collaboration with the University of Valladolid (Spain) and the Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO) (Belgium).

Please find hereafter the link to the LIME documentation and the LIME toolbox.

LIME software, database and documentation

Lunar phometer of ESA operated at the Pico Teide in Tenerife.

The team at Pico Teide where the lunar photometer is operated. From left to right: Africa Barreto (Observatory Izaña), Stefan Adriaensen (VITO), Marc Bouvet (ESA), Alberto Berjón (Universidad Valladolid),  Claire Greenwell (National Physical Laboratory of UK), Sarah Taylor (National Physical Laboratory of UK). Missing but equally important contributors to the project: Carlos Toledano (Universidad Valladolid) and Emma Woolliams (National Physical Laboratory of UK)