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Remote Sensing
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High-Resolution Observations of Planetary Geological and Geomorphic Investigation (Second Edition)
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High-Resolution Observations of Planetary Geological and Geomorphic Investigation (Second Edition)

A special issue of Remote Sensing (ISSN 2072-4292). This special issue belongs to the section "Satellite Missions for Earth and Planetary Exploration".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 5736

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ákos Kereszturi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences, Konkoly Observatory, Budapest, Hungary
Interests: planetary surface geology; fluvial, impact, ice and sedimentary features; comparative geomorphological aspects
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Jiannan Zhao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Geological Survey and Evaluation of Ministry of Education, Planetary Science Institute, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
Interests: planetary geology; planetary geomorphology; landing site selection; comparative planetology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As some of the emerging topics in current scientific research, planetary geology and geomorphology exploration have reshaped our understanding of the space world. The continuous improvement in planetary remote sensing technology has greatly supported planetary geology and geomorphology investigation, as well as numerous scientific studies on the Moon, Mars and other planetary bodies in the solar system. In addition, it is regarded as one of the indispensable technologies for planetary exploration. Remote sensing data can be used to study planetary surface processes, identify sediments in planetary craters, detect liquid water on Mars, measure space weathering rates, reconstruct geological history, etc.

Only with high-resolution data can remote sensing be effectively used to observe these planetary landforms and topographic features. For Mars, there are many similar high-resolution data sets available; for example, the High-Resolution Imaging Sensor Experiment (HiRISE), the Color and Stereo Surface Imaging System (CaSSIS), the High-Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC), and the Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC), etc., have provided repeated high-resolution images of Mars, and many discoveries of active processes have been made on the Martian surface. In addition, Spectrometers and Imagers for MPO BepiColombo Integrated Observatory SYStem of ESA’s BepiColombo Mercury mission also played an important role in data collection and in the terrain reconstruction of Mercury. Additionally, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) for lunar exploration are necessary for the generation of a high-resolution Digital Elevation Model (DEM). However, there are still major challenges in planetary exploration, such as how to extract high-resolution images of smaller ranges or specific objects from a high-resolution image (HRI), precise landing site positioning, and accurate terrain reconstruction processing methods, etc.

This Special Issue aims to document expertise in the exploration of all aspects of planetary geology, geomorphology, and landscape evolution through high-resolution observation, as well as contributions to the study of terrestrial planets. Topics include, but are not limited to, exploring planetary geomorphology, planetary surface processes, shallow subsurface tectonics, and space weathering using high-resolution (HR) and very-high-resolution (VHR) satellites.

Dr. Ákos Kereszturi
Dr. Jiannan Zhao
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Remote Sensing is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • planetary geology
  • planetary geomorphology
  • planetary landforms
  • planetary surface processes
  • planetary composition
  • planetary geological mapping
  • high-resolution planetary imaging
  • shallow subsurface detection
  • space weathering

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (4 papers)

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30 pages, 19388 KiB  
Article
An Explainable CatBoost Model for Crater Classification Based on Digital Elevation Model
by Minghao Zhu, Jialong Lai, Xiaoping Zhang, Yi Xu and Weidong He
Remote Sens. 2025, 17(7), 1236; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs17071236 - 31 Mar 2025
Viewed by 392
Abstract
The study of secondary craters on the Moon is vital for understanding lunar impact dynamics and surface evolution. However, this task is complicated by sample imbalance, with primary crater samples outnumbering those of secondary craters, and by the reliance on time-intensive manual methods [...] Read more.
The study of secondary craters on the Moon is vital for understanding lunar impact dynamics and surface evolution. However, this task is complicated by sample imbalance, with primary crater samples outnumbering those of secondary craters, and by the reliance on time-intensive manual methods or limited automated techniques. While many previous studies have focused on the manual or automated differentiation of secondary craters, few have addressed the interpretation of variables and models. In this study, we propose a machine-learning-based approach using the CatBoost algorithm to classify craters based on variables extracted from Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data. These variables include those from previous research as well as new ones introduced here, such as slope and density with Gaussian summation. Despite data imbalance and noise, the model achieves a classification accuracy of 0.8788, with a precision of 0.7922, a recall rate of 0.7412, and an F1 score of 0.7658 for secondary craters. To enhance interpretations, Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) and partial dependence plots (PDPs) are applied to evaluate variable importance and visualize the marginal effects of key variables, indicating the density variables playing a key role in crater classification. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Resolution Observations of Planetary Geological and Geomorphic Investigation (Second Edition))
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23 pages, 14997 KiB  
Article
Selecting Erosion- and Deposition-Dominated Zones in the Jezero Delta Using a Water Flow Model for Targeting Future In Situ Mars Surface Missions
by Vilmos Steinmann, Rickbir Singh Bahia and Ákos Kereszturi
Remote Sens. 2024, 16(19), 3649; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16193649 - 29 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1660
Abstract
Identifying surface sites with significant astrobiological potential on Mars requires a comprehensive understanding of past geological processes and conditions there, including the shallow subsurface region. Numerical modelling could distinguish between regions dominated by erosion and those characterized by sediment accumulation in ancient wet [...] Read more.
Identifying surface sites with significant astrobiological potential on Mars requires a comprehensive understanding of past geological processes and conditions there, including the shallow subsurface region. Numerical modelling could distinguish between regions dominated by erosion and those characterized by sediment accumulation in ancient wet environments. The target area of Jezero Crater is relatively well explored and thus is an ideal site to evaluate model calculations; however, important works are still missing on expectations related to its shallow subsurface . In this work, the best available approaches were followed, and only surface morphology was considered (supposedly formed by the last fluvial episode). The shallow subsurface became an important target recently, and this model could provide new inputs in this area. Erosion–accumulation models are suitable for terrestrial surface features, but few have been applied to Mars. This work addresses this challenge using the SIMWE (SIMulated Water Erosion) model on the Jezero Crater delta, the landing site of the Perseverance rover. For calculations, the average grain size according to the THEMIS TI data was applied to the target area. The flow depth varied between 1.89 and 34.74 m (average of 12.66 m). The water-filled channel width ranged from 35.3 to 341.42 m. A flow velocity of 0.008–11.6 m/s, a maximum erosion rate of 5.98 g/m2/h, and a deposition 4.07 g/m2/h were estimated. These calculated values are close to the range of estimations from other authors assuming precipitation of 1–20 mm/h and discharges of 60–400 m3/s. The model was able to distinguish between erosion- and accumulation-dominated areas about 1 m above Jezero Crater’s delta that are not visible from above. This model helps to identify the accumulation-dominated areas with the finest grain size with good preservation capability for the shallow but invisible subsurface. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Resolution Observations of Planetary Geological and Geomorphic Investigation (Second Edition))
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12 pages, 5115 KiB  
Article
Effect of Target Properties on Regolith Production
by Minggang Xie and Yan Li
Remote Sens. 2024, 16(14), 2650; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16142650 - 20 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1263
Abstract
Based on the measurements of regolith thicknesses on the lunar maria (basalts), the lunar regolith was determined to have accumulated at a rate of about 1 m/Gyr since the era of the late heavy bombardment. However, regolith production on porous targets (e.g., crater [...] Read more.
Based on the measurements of regolith thicknesses on the lunar maria (basalts), the lunar regolith was determined to have accumulated at a rate of about 1 m/Gyr since the era of the late heavy bombardment. However, regolith production on porous targets (e.g., crater ejecta deposits) is less studied, especially for Copernican units, and how target properties affect regolith production is not well understood. Here, we measured regolith thicknesses on the ejecta blanket of the Copernicus crater, showing that the regolith production rate sensitively depends on the initial target properties. The regolith production rate of the Copernicus ejecta blanket (3.0 ± 0.1 m/Gyr) is significantly larger than that of the Copernicus impact melt, which was previously estimated to be 1.2 ± 0.2 m/Gyr. Although crater production varies with different targets, our observed crater density of the Copernicus impact melt is indistinguishable from that of the Copernicus ejecta because impacts fracture the melt, causing it to resemble the ejecta. However, due to the fact that the formation of crater ejecta had already caused them to undergo fragmentation, ejecta require fewer fragmentation times to become regolith compared to impact melt; thus, the growth of regolith on the ejecta is faster than the melt. This indicates that similar observed size–frequency distributions do not indicate similar regolith production, especially for the targets with significant differences in initial physical properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Resolution Observations of Planetary Geological and Geomorphic Investigation (Second Edition))
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17 pages, 12399 KiB  
Technical Note
Accurate Mapping and Evaluation of Small Impact Craters within the Lunar Landing Area
by Chen Yang, Xinglong Wang, Dandong Zhao, Renchu Guan and Haishi Zhao
Remote Sens. 2024, 16(12), 2165; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16122165 - 14 Jun 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1774
Abstract
Impact craters, as the most distinct lunar structural unit and geological structure, are marked on the Moon’s surface. For over a decade, researchers have focused on identifying and exploring large- to medium-sized impact craters on the surface of the Moon (craters with a [...] Read more.
Impact craters, as the most distinct lunar structural unit and geological structure, are marked on the Moon’s surface. For over a decade, researchers have focused on identifying and exploring large- to medium-sized impact craters on the surface of the Moon (craters with a diameter greater than 1 km). Small impact craters have obvious statistical significance owing to their magnitude in numbers. The identification and analysis of small craters provide indispensable clues for the study of lunar geological evolution. However, such craters only remain in specific images and regions. At present, there is no comprehensive record of small impact craters in the existing lunar impact crater databases. The small impact craters on the surface of the Moon are enormous and vary in size by orders of magnitude, exhibiting small target characteristics in space. The present study focuses on the identification and spatial analysis of small impact craters on the surface of the Moon. A feature amplification strategy-based identification model was established for small impact crater detection, achieving accurate recognition of the small impact craters on the surface of the Moon (with a recall rate of 86.97% and a false-positive rate as low as 0.54% ± 0.16%). In total, 228,897, 142,872, and 42,008 new small lunar impact craters (with diameters as low as 4.5 m) were identified in the ten lunar landing areas of returned samples from the Apollo, Luna, and Chang’e-5 missions. In addition, the spatial distribution characteristics of small impact craters during different geological periods in the landing area are provided. Data on the newly identified small impact craters will provide an important basis for revealing the lunar impact fluxes and young lunar surface dating in lunar geological evolution research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Resolution Observations of Planetary Geological and Geomorphic Investigation (Second Edition))
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