| Abstract: This study compares how well the Lumme–Bowell and Hapke models describe the scattering of light from materials that mimic asteroid surfaces. Reflectance measurements were carried out in the laboratory using a range of asteroid- analogue samples, including silicon carbide, boron carbide, brown corundum, olivine–basalt mixtures, Martian JSC1 simulant, and Oman sand. These samples covered particle sizes from 13 to 600 µm and porosities from 0.37 to 0.72, resemble to real asteroid regolith.
The performance of each model was judged by how well it fits the experimental reflectance data, using the normalized chi-square error minimization method. In most cases, the Hapke model provided a better fit, yielding lower chi-square values and thus a closer agreement to the laboratory measurements. However, among the 30 different experiment cases, in three instances the Lumme-Bowell model gave a marginally better fit than Hapke model. The details will be discussed.
Across 36 experimental configurations, the Hapke model produced lower chi-square values in most situations, while in 6 cases the Lumme–Bowell model fit slightly better. For all 450 individual cases, 101 followed the Hapke model, 34 followed the Lumme–Bowell model, 246 were consistent with both, and 69 did not clearly follow either model. The total experimental error stayed below 2%, and model reflectances generally remained within the error bars.
Keywords: Reflectance, Hapke model, Lumme-Bowell model, Porosity, Light scattering,Asteroid, Regolith |
