Spatiotemporal characteristics of near-earth object monitoring from a moon-based station: case from 1962 to 2020 in CNEOS

Numerous discovered and undiscovered near-Earth objects (NEOs), celestial bodies from outer space with diverse physical properties, have ensued major potential impact threats to the Earth. For a timely and accurate response in monitoring NEOs entering Earth’s orbit, the future applied Moon-based monitoring platform (MBMP) will fully utilize the vast flat Moon’s surface, along with low thermal noise in the prospective permanent shadow area, low gravity and vacuum environment, and special space relation, among other advantages over the established ground-based monitoring platform (GBMP) and space-based monitoring platform (SBMP). Future single or clustered platforms might indeed survey space with limited solar influence involved. Through downloaded data from the Center for Near Earth Object Studies, this study analysed MBMP performance and studied the commonly visible ratio (VR) based on the overall geometry of Sun–Moon–Earth and NEOs. Results from the average near-side MBMP VR outperformed the far side GBMP, and other satellites even by 0.4. This provides locations with a high probability for monitoring platforms among the downloaded NEOs, while the rest of the Moon’s surface can serve as crucial underlying support for timely NEO monitoring and a valuable complement for GBMP and SBMP.

现已发现与尚未发现的近地天体（near-Earth objects, NEOs）是具有多样物理属性的地外天体，其对地球构成了重大潜在撞击威胁。为实现对进入地球轨道的近地天体开展及时且精准的监测响应，未来的月基监测平台（Moon-based monitoring platform, MBMP）将充分利用月球广袤平坦的表面、潜在永久阴影区极低的热噪声、低重力与真空环境，以及特殊的空间位置关系等优势，相较现有地基监测平台（ground-based monitoring platform, GBMP）与天基监测平台（space-based monitoring platform, SBMP）更具竞争力。未来的单平台或集群式监测平台，可在受太阳影响受限的空域开展巡天观测。本研究依托近地天体研究中心（Center for Near Earth Object Studies）下载的数据集，对月基监测平台的性能展开分析，并基于日-月-地系统与近地天体的整体几何构型，对通用可见率（visible ratio, VR）开展研究。月基近侧监测平台的平均可见率相较远侧地基监测平台及其他卫星高出0.4。该研究结果可为近地天体监测平台筛选出高概率监测点位，而月球其余表面区域则可作为近地天体及时监测的重要底层支撑，同时作为地基与天基监测平台的有益补充。