The influence of relief on formation of reflected signals of subsurface sounding radar

Radar sounding of the surface and near-surface layer of the Moon by the RLK-L low-frequency radar complex from the orbiter module is planned for the Moon-Globe Russian mission. To forecast results of radar experiments, a simulation procedure of the reflection of the RLK-L radar signal by the Moon’s surface is designed. The 3D surface model, based on measurement results of the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter mission was used in the calculations. The simulation results showed that the spectrum shape of the reflected signal depends on the relief type in the experimental area. Therefore, when the depth distribution of the permittivity of the geological media is determined, the topographic information should be taken into account.