VP: Quick Guide
JAXA Virtual Planet (VP) is a web-based GIS for exploring and analyzing lunar datasets from Kaguya. There is an “Basic” mode for the general public, and an “Advanced” mode for researchers which features enhanced analytical functions.
About VP
VP has an Basic mode (high-operability system for the general public) and an Advanced mode (system with sophisticated analytical functions for researchers). They can be accessed at the URLs below.
System Requirements
VP is not supported on Microsoft Internet Explorer. It may also not run on older browsers or in some mobile environments. For general system requirements, refer to the following page:
https://developers.arcgis.com/javascript/latest/system-requirements/
Access URLs
Select a mode based on what you want to do.
| Mode | Purpose | URL |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | Data browsing | https://vp.darts.isas.jaxa.jp/moon/?lang=en |
| Advanced | Data analysis | https://vp.darts.isas.jaxa.jp/moon/?lang=en&pro=1 |
Available views
| Mode | View | Coordinate System (Click to show WKT) |
|---|---|---|
| Basic/Advanced | 3D globe | GCS_Moon_2000 (ESRI:104903)
GEOGCS["GCS_Moon_2000",DATUM["D_Moon_2000",SPHEROID["Moon_2000_IAU_IAG",1737400.0,0.0]],PRIMEM["Reference_Meridian",0.0],UNIT["Degree",0.0174532925199433]]
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| Basic/Advanced | Equidistant cylindrical 3D | SIMPLE_CYLINDRICAL_MOON
PROJCS["SIMPLE_CYLINDRICAL_MOON",GEOGCS["GCS_MOON",DATUM["D_MOON",SPHEROID["MOON",1737400.0,0.0]],PRIMEM["Reference_Meridian",0.0],UNIT["Degree",0.0174532925199433]],PROJECTION["Plate_Carree"],PARAMETER["false_easting",0.0],PARAMETER["false_northing",0.0],PARAMETER["central_meridian",0.0],UNIT["Meter",1.0]]
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| Basic/Advanced | North polar stereographic 3D | PolarStereographic_Moon (Stereographic_North_Pole)
PROJCS["PolarStereographic_Moon",GEOGCS["GCS_Moon",DATUM["D_Moon",SPHEROID["Moon_polarRadius",1737400.0,0.0]],PRIMEM["Reference_Meridian",0.0],UNIT["Degree",0.0174532925199433]],PROJECTION["Stereographic_North_Pole"],PARAMETER["false_easting",0.0],PARAMETER["false_northing",0.0],PARAMETER["central_meridian",0.0],PARAMETER["standard_parallel_1",90.0],UNIT["Meter",1.0]]
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| Basic/Advanced | South polar stereographic 3D | PolarStereographic_Moon (Stereographic_South_Pole)
PROJCS["PolarStereographic_Moon",GEOGCS["GCS_Moon",DATUM["D_Moon",SPHEROID["Moon_polarRadius",1737400.0,0.0]],PRIMEM["Reference_Meridian",0.0],UNIT["Degree",0.0174532925199433]],PROJECTION["Stereographic_South_Pole"],PARAMETER["false_easting",0.0],PARAMETER["false_northing",0.0],PARAMETER["central_meridian",0.0],PARAMETER["standard_parallel_1",-90.0],UNIT["Meter",1.0]]
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| Advanced only | Equidistant cylindrical 2D | SIMPLE_CYLINDRICAL_MOON
PROJCS["SIMPLE_CYLINDRICAL_MOON",GEOGCS["GCS_MOON",DATUM["D_MOON",SPHEROID["MOON",1737400.0,0.0]],PRIMEM["Reference_Meridian",0.0],UNIT["Degree",0.0174532925199433]],PROJECTION["Plate_Carree"],PARAMETER["false_easting",0.0],PARAMETER["false_northing",0.0],PARAMETER["central_meridian",0.0],UNIT["Meter",1.0]]
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| Advanced only | North polar stereographic 2D | PolarStereographic_Moon (Stereographic_North_Pole)
PROJCS["PolarStereographic_Moon",GEOGCS["GCS_Moon",DATUM["D_Moon",SPHEROID["Moon_polarRadius",1737400.0,0.0]],PRIMEM["Reference_Meridian",0.0],UNIT["Degree",0.0174532925199433]],PROJECTION["Stereographic_North_Pole"],PARAMETER["false_easting",0.0],PARAMETER["false_northing",0.0],PARAMETER["central_meridian",0.0],PARAMETER["standard_parallel_1",90.0],UNIT["Meter",1.0]]
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| Advanced only | South polar stereographic 2D | PolarStereographic_Moon (Stereographic_South_Pole)
PROJCS["PolarStereographic_Moon",GEOGCS["GCS_Moon",DATUM["D_Moon",SPHEROID["Moon_polarRadius",1737400.0,0.0]],PRIMEM["Reference_Meridian",0.0],UNIT["Degree",0.0174532925199433]],PROJECTION["Stereographic_South_Pole"],PARAMETER["false_easting",0.0],PARAMETER["false_northing",0.0],PARAMETER["central_meridian",0.0],PARAMETER["standard_parallel_1",-90.0],UNIT["Meter",1.0]]
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Displayable layers
The following layers are available. Initially, only the base map is displayed.
See the links below for source data and references.
Layer information (Click to expand)
| Layer name | Detailed description | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nomenclature | Lunar nomenclature is cited from the USGS Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. | ||||||||
| Graticule | The geographic coordinate system is based on GCS_Moon_2000 (ESRI:104903).WKT
GEOGCS["GCS_Moon_2000",DATUM["D_Moon_2000",SPHEROID["Moon_2000_IAU_IAG",1737400.0,0.0]],PRIMEM["Reference_Meridian",0.0],UNIT["Degree",0.0174532925199433]]
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| Lunar global topography | Lunar global topography [km] map acquired by SELENE Laser Altimeter (LALT) observations. The product is represented by 360-degree spherical harmonics referenced to a 1737.4 km sphere at the lunar center of mass. For an overview of the instrument, see below: https://www.kaguya.jaxa.jp/en/equipment/lalt_e.htm Data source: https://data.darts.isas.jaxa.jp/pub/pds3/sln-l-lalt-5-topo-ggt-map-v2.0/ https://data.darts.isas.jaxa.jp/pub/pds3/sln-l-lalt-5-topo-gt-np-img-v2.0/ https://data.darts.isas.jaxa.jp/pub/pds3/sln-l-lalt-5-topo-gt-sp-img-v2.0/ References
This data should be cited as follows when used in papers, etc.:
Araki, H., Tazawa, S., Ishihara, Y., et al. Lunar global shape and polar topography derived from Kaguya-LALT laser altimetry. Science, 323, 5916, 897-900 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1164146 |
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| Mare unit age | Polygons representing the estimated ages [Gyr] of lunar maria based on stratigraphic relationships of mare basalt units interpreted from SELENE Lunar Radar Sounder (LRS). The source data were obtained from Figure 5 in Oshigami et al. (2014). The absolute ages were determined based on crater size–frequency distributions reported in Hiesinger et al. (2000, 2003, 2010), Kodama and Yamaguchi (2003), and Morota et al. (2011).
References
Oshigami, S., Watanabe, S., Yamaguchi, Y., et al. Mare volcanism: Reinterpretation based on Kaguya Lunar Radar Sounder data. Journal of Geophysical Research Planets, 119, 1037–1045 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1002/2013JE004568
Hiesinger, H., Jaumann, R., Neukum, G., et al. Ages of mare basalts on the lunar nearside. Journal of Geophysical Research Planets, 105, 29229–29275 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1029/2000JE001244 Hiesinger, H., Head III, J. W., Wolf, U., et al. Ages and stratigraphy of mare basalts in Oceanus Procellarum, Mare Nubium, Mare Cognitum, and Mare Insularum. Journal of Geophysical Research Planets, 108, E7, 5065 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1029/2002JE001985 Morota, T., Haruyama, J., Ohtake, M., et al. Timing and characteristics of the latest mare eruption on the Moon. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 302, 255–266 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2010.12.028 Kodama, S., and Yamaguchi, Y. Lunar mare volcanism in the eastern nearside region derived from Clementine UV/VIS data. Meteoritics & Planetary Science 38, Nr 10, 1461–1484 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1945-5100.2003.tb00251.x |
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| LRS subsurface reflection points | The unit boundary depths of mare basalts determined by Ishiyama and Kumamoto (2019), based on radargrams obtained by SELENE Lunar Radar Sounder (LRS), are shown. By clicking on a point displayed in Mare Smythii, the depths of four echoes (i.e., unit boundaries) at that location are displayed. Elevation of surface indicates the depth of the surface echo read from the LRS radargram, Elevation of echo 1–4 indicate the depths of subsurface echoes read from the LRS data, Apparent depth is the difference between the surface echo and the subsurface echoes, and Depth is the true depth calculated assuming a dielectric constant of 6.
References
This data should be cited as follows when used in papers, etc.:
Ishiyama, K. and Kumamoto, A. Volcanic history in the Smythii basin on SELENE radar observation. Scientific Reports, 9, 14502 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-50296-9 |
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| SP radiance & diffuse reflectance | Hyperspectral visible and near-infrared reflectance spectra based on the SP Level2C Product derived from observations by the SELENE Spectral Profiler (SP). The SP acquired hyperspectral data over areas of ~500 m × 500 m across the Moon. By clicking on an observation point in this layer displays the radiance [W/m2/μ/Sr] and diffuse reflectance. Spectra from the VIS and NIR1 detectors are calibrated following Yokota et al. (2011), and the NIR2 detector is calibrated following Yamamoto et al. (2014). The "thinned" layer achieves faster rendering by reducing the number of full observation points. For faster loading, the 2D view is recommended over the 3D view. For an overview of the instrument, see below: https://www.kaguya.jaxa.jp/en/equipment/tc_e.htm Data source: https://data.darts.isas.jaxa.jp/pub/pds3/sln-l-sp-4-level2c-v3.0/ References
This data should be cited as follows when used in papers, etc.:
Yokota, Y., Matsunaga, T., Ohtake, M., et al. Lunar photometric properties at wavelengths 0.5-1.6 μm acquired by SELENE Spectral Profiler and their dependency on local albedo and latitudinal zones. Icarus, 215, 639-660 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2011.07.028 Yamamoto, S., Matsunaga, T., Ogawa, Y., et al. Calibration of NIR 2 of Spectral Profiler onboard Kaguya/SELENE. IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 52, 6882-6868 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2014.2304581 |
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| SAR data | A 2D subsurface cross-sectional image derived from reflection echoes acquired by the Kaguya Lunar Radar Sounder (LRS), processed using along-track synthetic aperture lengths of 5 km, 10 km, and 40 km. Clicking on a survey line displays the product. The horizontal axis represents the along-track direction of the spacecraft. The vertical axis shows the apparent depth calculated assuming a dielectric constant of ε = 1, which differs from the actual depth. Surface and subsurface discontinuities appear as variations in echo intensity. The spatial resolution is approximately 75 m in the horizontal direction and ~75 m in apparent depth on the vertical axis.
For an overview of the instrument, see below: https://www.kaguya.jaxa.jp/en/equipment/lrs_e.htm Data source: 5km: https://data.darts.isas.jaxa.jp/pub/pds3/sln-l-lrs-5-sndr-ss-sar05-power-v1.0/ 10 km: https://data.darts.isas.jaxa.jp/pub/pds3/sln-l-lrs-5-sndr-ss-sar10-power-v1.0/ 40 km: https://data.darts.isas.jaxa.jp/pub/pds3/sln-l-lrs-5-sndr-ss-sar40-power-v1.0/ References
Ono, T., Kumamoto, A., Kasahara, Y., et al. The Lunar Radar Sounder (LRS) Onboard the KAGUYA (SELENE) Spacecraft. Space Science Reviews, 154, 145-192 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-010-9673-8
This data should be cited as follows when used in papers, etc.: Kobayashi, T., Kim, J. H., Lee, S. R., et al. Synthetic aperture radar processing of Kaguya Lunar Radar Sounder data for lunar subsurface imaging. IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 50, 6082437, 2161-2174 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2011.2171349 |
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| LRS Radargram | 2D high-resolution subsurface cross section of reflected echo intensity obtained by SELENE Lunar Radar Sounder (LRS). Clicking on a survey line displays the product. The horizontal axis is the satellite ground track. The vertical axis represents the apparent depth calculated with dielectric constant ε = 1, which differs from the actual depth. Surface and subsurface discontinuities appear as variations in echo intensity. The spatial resolution is ~75 m on the horizontal axis and ~75 m on the apparent depth of the vertical axis. For an overview of the instrument, see below: https://www.kaguya.jaxa.jp/en/equipment/lrs_e.htm Data source: https://data.darts.isas.jaxa.jp/pub/pds3/sln-l-lrs-5-sndr-ss-high-v2.0/ References
Ono, T., Kumamoto, A., Kasahara, Y., et al. The Lunar Radar Sounder (LRS) Onboard the KAGUYA (SELENE) Spacecraft. Space Science Reviews, 154, 145-192 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-010-9673-8
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| MI FeO & TiO2 abundance | Abundance (wt%) of FeO and TiO2 based on SELENE Multiband Imager (MI) observations. This product was calculated from the MI_MAP product using the method by Otake et al. (2012). This layer covers latitudes from 85°N to 85°S with a spatial resolution of 128 pix/degree.References
This data should be cited as follows when used in papers, etc.:
Otake, H., M. Ohtake, and N. Hirata, Lunar iron and titanium abundance algorithms based on SELENE (Kaguya) Multiband Imager data, Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, 43rd (2012), Abstract 1905. https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2012LPI....43.1905O |
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| MI reflectance | Visible and near-infrared reflectance spectral data based on the MI_MAP Product derived from observations by the SELENE Multiband Imager (MI). The MI_MAP product is a 9-band data cube covering latitudes from 85°N to 85°S with a spatial resolution of 2048 pix/degree. This layer allows viewing of the reflectance spectrum at a selected position by clicking. Two reflectance values are plotted at 1000 nm because this is observed by both the VIS and NIR detectors. For an overview of the instrument, see below: https://www.selene.jaxa.jp/en/equipment/tc_e.htm Data source: https://data.darts.isas.jaxa.jp/pub/pds3/sln-l-mi-5-map-v3.0/ References
Ohtake, M., Haruyama, J., Matsunaga, T., et al. Performance and scientific objectives of the SELENE (KAGUYA) Multiband Imager. Earth, Planets and Space 60, 257–264 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03352789
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| GRS nuclide map | The mass concentration distribution of K [ppm], Th [ppm], U [ppm], and CaO [wt%] based on observations by the SELENE Gamma-Ray Spectrometer (GRS) at an altitude of ~100 km. The product covers the entire lunar surface with an intrinsic spatial resolution of ~150 km. For an overview of the instrument, see below: https://www.kaguya.jaxa.jp/en/equipment/grs_e.htm Data source: https://data.darts.isas.jaxa.jp/pub/pds3/sln-l-grs-5-nuclide-map-v1.0/ References
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| TC reflectance map (low Sun) | Surface reflectance map acquired by SELENE Terrain Camera (TC) under low solar illumination from the east (morning) and from the west (evening). This product covers most of the globe at a resolution of 10 m/pixel, except for some high-latitude areas longitudinal areas. For an overview of the instrument, see below: https://www.kaguya.jaxa.jp/en/equipment/tc_e.htm Data source: Morning: https://data.darts.isas.jaxa.jp/pub/pds3/sln-l-tc-5-morning-map-v4.0/ Evening: https://data.darts.isas.jaxa.jp/pub/pds3/sln-l-tc-5-evening-map-v4.0/ References
Haruyama, J., Ohtake, M., Matsunaga, T., et al. Data products of SELENE (Kaguya) Terrain Camera for future lunar missions. 45th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, p. 1304 (2014). https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014LPI....45.1304H
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| TC ortho map | TC ortho data acquired by SELENE Terrain Camera (TC). This product covers most of the globe at a resolution of 10 m/pixel, except for some high-latitude areas longitudinal areas. For an overview of the instrument, see below: https://www.kaguya.jaxa.jp/en/equipment/tc_e.htm Data source: https://data.darts.isas.jaxa.jp/pub/pds3/sln-l-tc-5-ortho-map-v2.0/ References
Haruyama, J., Ohtake, M., Matsunaga, T., et al. Data products of SELENE (Kaguya) Terrain Camera for future lunar missions. 45th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, p. 1304 (2014). https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014LPI....45.1304H
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| TC DTM (SLDEM2013) | DTM map based on the SLDEM2013 product which combined observations from the SELENE Terrain Camera (TC), Multiband Imager (MI), and NASA Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA). The DTM was primarily generated from TC (10 m/pix), with gaps filled using MI (20 m/pix) and LOLA (60 m/pix). The product covers the entire Moon. Data source: https://data.darts.isas.jaxa.jp/pub/pds3/sln-l-tc-5-sldem2013-v1.0/ References
Haruyama, J., Ohtake, M., Matsunaga, T., et al. Data products of SELENE (Kaguya) Terrain Camera for future lunar missions. 45th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, p. 1304 (2014). https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014LPI....45.1304H
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| Bouguer gravity anomaly | Bouguer gravity anomaly [mGal] model based on the SGM100h lunar gravity field model with degree 100. The gravity model was derived from the 4-way Doppler observations using SELENE RSAT and VRAD Satellite. The bouguer gravity anomaly is calculated from SGM100h and a LALT topographic model (STM-359_grid-03) assuming the crustal density of 2800 kg/m3. The high-frequency “spotty” signatures are likely due to the less accurate gravity coefficients above degree 70. For an overview of the instrument, see below: https://www.kaguya.jaxa.jp/en/equipment/rsat_e.htm Data source: SGM100h grid data, RISE Project References
This data should be cited as follows when used in papers, etc.:
Matsumoto, K., Goossens, S., Ishihara, Y., et al. An improved lunar gravity field model from SELENE and historical tracking data: Revealing the farside gravity features. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 115, E06007 (2010), https://doi.org/10.1029/2009JE003499 |
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| Free air gravity anomaly | Bouguer gravity anomaly [mGal] model based on the SGM100h lunar gravity field model with degree 100. The gravity model was derived from the 4-way Doppler observations using SELENE RSAT and VRAD Satellite. For an overview of the instrument, see below: https://www.kaguya.jaxa.jp/en/equipment/rsat_e.htm Data source: https://data.darts.isas.jaxa.jp/pub/pds3/sln-l-rise-5-grav-map-v1.0/ SGM100h grid data, RISE Project References
This data should be cited as follows when used in papers, etc.:
Matsumoto, K., Goossens, S., Ishihara, Y., et al. An improved lunar gravity field model from SELENE and historical tracking data: Revealing the farside gravity features. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 115, E06007 (2010), https://doi.org/10.1029/2009JE003499 |
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| Crustal thickness | Lunar crustal thickness map derived from the SGM100h lunar gravity field model and STM-359_grid-03 lunar topography model. The gravity model was derived from the 4-way Doppler observations using SELENE RSAT and VRAD Satellite. The topography model is derived from SELENE LALT observations. This product was created with the condition that the Bouguer gravity anomaly is explained by Moho topography without having the mantle exposed at the lunar surface. Assumed densities of the crust, mantle, and mare basalt layer are 2800 kg/m3, 3360 kg/m3, and 3200 kg/m3, respectively. Data source: Grid data of crustal thickness model, RISE Project References
This data should be cited as follows when used in papers, etc.:
Ishihara, Y., Goossens, S., Matsumoto, K., et al. Crustal thickness of the Moon: Implications for farside basin structures. Geophysical Research Letters, 36, L19202 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1029/2009GL039708 |
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| Magnetic anomaly | Lunar magnetic anomaly mosaic data acquired by SELENE Lunar Magnetometer (LMAG) observations at an altitude of 100 km. This product shows the components of the lunar magnetic anomaly vector (X: east–west; Y: north–south; Z: radial; F: total magnetic field intensity). For an overview of the instrument, see below: https://www.kaguya.jaxa.jp/en/equipment/lmag_e.htm Data source: https://data.darts.isas.jaxa.jp/pub/pds3/sln-l-lmag-5-ma-map-v1.0/ References
Tsunakawa, H., Shibuya, H., Takahashi, F., et al. Lunar magnetic field observation and initial global mapping of lunar magnetic anomalies by MAP-LMAG onboard SELENE (Kaguya). Space Science Reviews, 154, 219-251 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-010-9652-0
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| Magnetic anomaly OP | Lunar magnetic anomaly mosaic data derived from SELENE Lunar Magnetometer (LMAG) observations at an altitude of ~30 km. This product shows the components of the lunar magnetic anomaly vector (X: east–west component; Y: north–south component; Z: radial component; F: total magnetic field intensity). For an overview of the instrument, see below: https://www.kaguya.jaxa.jp/en/equipment/lmag_e.htm Data source: https://data.darts.isas.jaxa.jp/pub/pds3/sln-l-lmag-5-ma-map-option-v1.0/ References
Tsunakawa, H., Shibuya, H., Takahashi, F., et al. Lunar magnetic field observation and initial global mapping of lunar magnetic anomalies by MAP-LMAG onboard SELENE (Kaguya). Space Science Reviews, 154, 219-251 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-010-9652-0
Tsunakawa, H., Takahashi, F., Shimizu, H., et al. Regional mapping of the lunar magnetic anomalies at the surface: Method and its application to strong and weak magnetic anomaly regions. Icarus, 228, 15, 35-53 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2013.09.026 |
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| Microrelief map "IN-YOU-ZU" |
A global lunar map produced using "IN-YOU-ZU", a microtopography visualization technique developed by AERO TOYOTA Corporation. Topographic shading is represented by brightness, and topographic convexity and concavity (local highs and depressions) are represented by hue. Specifically, a hillshade rendered using nadir illumination is overlaid with a hue layer in which lower terrain relative to its surroundings is assigned cool colors and higher terrain is assigned warm colors, followed by color tone adjustment. The source topographic data used are SLDEM2013, which was constructed from observation data acquired by the Kaguya Terrain Camera (TC), Multiband Imager (MI), and NASA’s Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA). When reproducing figures displaying the IN-YOU-ZU layer, “AERO TOYOTA Corporation” must be credited within the figure. For details of IN-YOU-ZU, see below (only in Japanese): https://www.aerotoyota.co.jp/spatialinfo/inyouzu/ References
Araki R., Akiyama Y., Takahashi Y., Sato H. Development of a geomorphological map with improved topographic visibility: A Lunar "IN-YOU-ZU", Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, 57th (2026), Abstract 1411. https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2026/pdf/1411.pdf
Akiyama, Y. and Sekoguchi, R. (2007). Map, Journal of the Japan Cartographers Association, 45, 1, 37–46 (in Japanese). https://doi.org/10.11212/jjca1963.45.37 |
Toolbox
Use the tools included in the toolbox in each mode. Tools available in the toolbox differ for each mode.
| Mode | Tools |
|---|---|
| Basic/Advanced | Distance Measurement (*3D views only) Area Measurement (*3D views only) Search by Name |
| Advanced only | Elevation Profile (*3D views only) Memo Custom Visualization Download Add Point by Coordinates Subsolar/Sub-Earth points |
How to use VP
The following sections describe how to use VP.
Operation Manual (click to expand)
Operations
1. Main Screen
The main screen is shown below. It consists mainly of Areas ① to ④. The description and example functions off each area are shown in the table below.
| Area | Description | Example Functions |
|---|---|---|
| ① | Buttons for basic operations | Switching views, layer operations, toolbox, share link, help, etc. |
| ② | Buttons for view navigation | Zooming in and out, changing the viewpoint (oblique view), navigating to specified coordinates, etc. |
| ③ | Information display area that does not require button operations | Scale bar, color bar, coordinate display, display of physical quantities, etc. |
| ④ | Map display area | Layer popups |
2. Basic Operations
Basic application functions can be accessed using the buttons in Area ① of the main screen described in Section 1.
| Switch Views |
|---|
| Layer list |
| Toolbox |
| Share |
| Others |
2.1 Switching Views
VP provides seven map views (map projections), and the initial view is “Global 3D.” You can switch among them using the “Switch Views” button. Because views are created and removed as needed due to the ArcGIS service limit, a view may be reset when you switch to another one. To preserve the current working state, we recommend saving the URL generated by the Share button (Section 2.4, Share).
2.2 Layer list
When VP starts, only the basemap is displayed. Other layers can be added as needed using the “Layer list” button described in Section 2, “Basic Operations.” The layer operations are described below.
| Part | Description |
|---|---|
| Add Layer | Adds selected layers to the view from the list of available layers. Multiple layers can be selected and added at once using Ctrl + left-click. |
| Drag | Changes the display order of the layers by dragging them. |
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Left-click to toggle the visibility of the selected layer. |
| Delete Layer | Removes the selected layer. Note: The basemap cannot be removed. |
| Transparency | Sets the transparency of the selected layer. |
2.3 Toolbox
The following functions are available from the “Toolbox” button described in Section 2, “Basic Operations.” For details of each function, refer to Section 6.
| Distance Measurement |
| Area Measurement |
| Elevation Profile* |
| Memo* |
| Print* |
| Custom Visualization* |
| Download* |
| Add Point by Coordinates* |
| Subsolar/Sub-Earth points* |
| Search by Name |
*Functions marked with an asterisk are available in Advanced mode only.
2.4. Share
Clicking the “Share” button provides a URL that reproduces the current view. This URL can be used to share the view with others. Note that if the URL in the address bar is shared instead, the initial view will be displayed.
2.5. Others
Documentation on operations, physical quantities, and related information can be opened in a new tab using the “Help” button, indicated by a question mark (“?”). Clicking the “Homepage” button, indicated by a house icon, opens the homepage in a new tab. The “Switch Languages” and “Switch Mode” buttons can be used to switch between Japanese and English and between Basic and Advanced modes, respectively.
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Opens the user guide in a new tab. |
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Opens the homepage in a new tab. |
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Switches between Japanese and English. Note: The application restarts after the language setting is changed. |
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Switches between Basic and Advanced modes. Note: The application restarts after the mode setting is changed. |
3. Screen Navigation
The map view can be controlled using the buttons in Area ② of the main screen or by operating directly on the map in Area ④. The functions of each button are shown in the figure below. The left buttons are for 2D views, and the right buttons are for 3D views.
Panning is the default mouse-drag operation. In 3D views, however, the dragging operation can be switched between panning and vertical view rotation. Vertical rotation enables an oblique view. Other view navigation operations assigned to mouse and touch gestures are listed below.
| Mouse Operation | Function |
|---|---|
| Drag | Pan Vertical rotation*1 |
| Double-click | Zoom in |
| Ctrl + double-click | Zoom out |
| Scroll up | Zoom in |
| Scroll down | Zoom out |
| Right-click + drag | 3D rotation |
| Shift + left-click + drag | Zoom to the area specified by dragging*2 |
| Arrow keys | Pan in four directions |
| N | North up |
| W/A/S/D keys | Rotate in the corresponding directions*3 |
| + | Zoom in |
| - | Zoom out |
| Touch Operation | Function |
|---|---|
| Swipe Multi-touch swipe | Pan |
| Double-tap | Zoom in |
| Pinch in/out | Zoom in/out |
| Two-finger rotation | Rotate |
*1 In 2D views, only panning is available. In 3D views, panning and vertical rotation can be toggled using 
button.
*2 Available only in 2D views.
*3 In 3D views, the rotation directions assigned to the A and D keys are reversed.
3.1. Reset View
Clicking “Reset View” resets the viewpoint to its initial position when VP was started.
3.2. Enter lat, lon
Clicking “Enter lat, lon” displays the latitude and longitude at the current center of the view. Enter any coordinates and click the “Apply” button to move the view so that the specified coordinates are at the center of the view. The zoom level remains unchanged. Longitude can be entered in either the 0° to 360° or −180° to 180° format. Out-of-range values cannot be entered.
4. Information Display
This section describes the information displayed in Area ③.
4.1. Scale Bar
A scale bar for the current view is displayed in the lower-left corner of the screen. In a 3D view, it shows the scale at the center of the map.
4.2. Latitude / Longitude and Physical Quantity Display
After the mouse pointer remains stationary for 0.5 seconds, the latitude and longitude at that position are displayed in the lower-right corner, and the physical quantity is displayed in the lower-left corner next to the scale bar.
Physical quantities are displayed only for image layers. They are not displayed for auxiliary layers such as graticules and place names, or for feature layers (e.g., LRS or SP).
4.3. Color Bar
When the layer displayed on top is an image layer or the “Mare unit age [Gyr]” layer, a color bar for the displayed physical quantities is shown in the lower-left corner.
5. Layer Popup
When the screen is clicked while one or more layers are displayed, related information appears in a popup. Information for the topmost layer is displayed first, and users can select another layer in the popup.
6. Feature-specific Operations
This section describes how to use individual functions. These operations are accessed from the “Toolbox” in Area ① of the main screen.
6.1. Distance Measurement
The distance between selected points can be measured by selecting “New measurement” and clicking two points on the map.
6.2. Area Measurement
The area of any polygon can be measured by selecting “New measurement” and clicking points on the map to define the polygon.
6.3. Elevation Profile (Advanced mode only)
An elevation profile along a selected line can be generated by selecting “New profile” and clicking points on the map to define the line. The measurement data can be downloaded in CSV format from “Toolbox” > “Download”.
6.4. Memo (Advanced mode only)
Using “Memo”, you can draw a shape on the map and attach a text note to it. The note is saved in a dedicated Memo layer.
6.5. Print (Advanced mode only)
An image or PDF of a selected area of the current view can be output. The output is a capture of the displayed view rather than the original image data.
6.6. Custom Visualization (Advanced mode only)
“Custom Visualization” is the operation of defining a function filter for an image layer to generate a layer with a different visualization. “Custom Visualization” cannot be applied again to a Custom Visualization layer. However, a color map can be applied to a layer generated by the “Raster Calculator.”
The following three types of Custom Visualization are supported.
| Operation type | Definition |
|---|---|
| Color map | Maps pixel values according to a color map and displays a single-band raster as a grayscale or gradient image. As preprocessing, a Min/Max stretch or histogram equalization is applied, and the pixel values are converted to a range of 0–255. |
| RGB Composite | Combines three raster bands into a single RGB raster. |
| Raster Calculator | Calculates a raster from a mathematical expression based on raster bands. |
The operating procedure is described below. The Custom Visualization settings screen is divided into Parts ① to ③.
| Part | Description |
|---|---|
| ① | Select “Color map”, “RGB Composite”, or “Raster Calculator” from the list. |
| ② | Detailed settings corresponding to the function selected in Part ① are displayed. |
| ③ | Enter the name of the output layer. If the specified name is the same as that of an existing layer, the existing layer is overwritten. |
The settings for each type of Custom Visualization are described below.
| Operation type | Description |
|---|---|
| Color map | 1. “Select Band”: Select an image layer from the list. A list of bands in the selected layer is displayed. Select a band from this list. 2. Specify the stretch to be applied to the output. Select “None”, “Min/Max”, or “Histogram Equalization”. - None: The pixel values are converted to the range of 0–255 using the minimum and maximum pixel values of the layer. - Min/Max: The specified pixel-value range is converted to the range of 0–255. Values outside the specified range are assigned the NoData value (−9999) and displayed as transparent. - Histogram Equalization: After histogram equalization is applied, the pixel values are converted to the range of 0–255 using the minimum and maximum pixel values of the layer. 3. Select the color map to be applied from the list of color maps. Grayscale is selected by default. |
| RGB Composite* | 1. “Select Band”: Select the bands to be assigned to the red, green, and blue channels from the list of image layers and the list of bands in each selected layer. 2. To limit the output range of each band, specify the minimum and maximum values. Values outside the specified range are replaced with the corresponding minimum or maximum value. |
| Raster Calculator* | Assign the bands specified under “Select Band” to variable names and display a layer generated by raster calculation. Up to three variables (a, b, and c) can be used in a calculation. Enter the mathematical expression to be executed in the text box at the bottom of the screen. The available operators conform to the following specification: https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/analysis/raster-functions/calculator-function.htm To apply an exponential or logarithmic function to a band before passing it to the expression, select the function from the list to the right of the band name. |
* These functions are available only for the following three layers: MI reflectance, MI FeO Abundance [wt%], and MI TiO2 Abundance [wt%].
6.7. Download (Advanced mode only)
This section describes how to download data for a selected area of a selected layer.
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Select Layer | Select the layer to be downloaded from the layers that have been added to the “Layer list.” |
| Format | Select the output format. The available formats depend on the layer type. - Image layers: GeoTIFF - SP/LRS layers: Shapefile or CSV |
| Resolution | Select Original, 1/2 size, 1/4 size, or 1/8 size. This option is available only when an image layer is selected for download. |
| Output Area | Specify the output area as a rectangle. Clicking the “Output Area” button activates rectangle input mode, allowing a rectangle to be drawn on the screen. |
| Output | Starts the download process. When processing is complete, a download link appears at the bottom of the screen. The maximum downloadable image size (rows × columns) is 4,100 × 15,000 pixels, depending on the selected resolution. A maximum of 2,000 SP/LRS records can be downloaded. |
6.7.1. SP Data Output Format
The Spectral Profiler (SP) observation data fields included in Shapefile and CSV output are shown below.
Shapefile Format
| Field Name | Description | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| FID | Shapefile-specific field | |
| Shape | Shapefile-specific field | |
| Revo_num | Orbital revolution number | REVOLUTION_NUMBER in the LBL file |
| Strip_num | Strip number within the revolution | STRIP_SEQUENCE_NUMBER in the LBL file |
| Scene_num | Scene number within the strip | SCENE_SEQUENCE_NUMBER in the LBL file |
| Serial_num | Sequential number within the same Scene_num, Strip_num, and Revo_num combination | |
| Spc_url | Data URL | |
| Lbl_url | LBL URL | |
| Thumbnail | Thumbnail image URL |
CSV Format (SP_ref.csv)
| Field Name | Description | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Revo_num | Orbital revolution number | REVOLUTION_NUMBER in the LBL file |
| Strip_num | Strip number within the revolution | STRIP_SEQUENCE_NUMBER in the LBL file |
| Scene_num | Scene number within the strip | SCENE_SEQUENCE_NUMBER in the LBL file |
| Serial_num | Sequential number within the same Scene_num, Strip_num, and Revo_num combination | |
| Spc_url | Data URL | |
| Lbl_url | LBL URL | |
| Thumbnail | Thumbnail image URL | |
| Longitude | Longitude | |
| Latitude | Latitude | |
| Ref5126 | Diffuse reflectance value at a wavelength of 512.6 nm | 296 fields The wavelength of each band in nanometers is obtained by dividing the four- or five-digit number following Ref by 10. |
| ・・・ | ||
| Ref25879 | Diffuse reflectance value at a wavelength of 2587.9 nm | |
CSV Format (SP_rad.csv)
| Field Name | Description | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Revo_num | Orbital revolution number | REVOLUTION_NUMBER in the LBL file |
| Strip_num | Strip number within the revolution | STRIP_SEQUENCE_NUMBER in the LBL file |
| Scene_num | Scene number within the strip | SCENE_SEQUENCE_NUMBER in the LBL file |
| Serial_num | Sequential number within the same Scene_num, Strip_num, and Revo_num combination | |
| Spc_url | Data URL | |
| Lbl_url | LBL URL | |
| Thumbnail | Thumbnail image URL | |
| Longitude | Longitude | |
| Latitude | Latitude | |
| Rad5126 | Spectral (diffuse) radiance value at a wavelength of 512.6 nm | 296 fields The wavelength of each band in nanometers is obtained by dividing the four- or five-digit number following Rad by 10. |
| ・・・ | ||
| Rad25879 | Spectral (diffuse) radiance value at a wavelength of 2587.9 nm | |
6.7.2. LRS Data Output Format
The Lunar Radar Sounder (LRS) observation data fields included in Shapefile and CSV output are shown below.
| Field Name | Description | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| FID | Shapefile-specific field | Not included in CSV downloads. |
| Shape | Shapefile-specific field | Not included in CSV downloads. |
| Lon_start | Longitude of the start point of the line segment | |
| Lat_start | Latitude of the start point of the line segment | |
| Lon_end | Longitude of the end point of the line segment | |
| Lat_end | Latitude of the end point of the line segment | |
| Img_url | Data URL | |
| Lbl_url | LBL URL | |
| Thumbnail | Thumbnail image URL |
6.8. Subsolar/Sub-Earth Points (Advanced mode only)
Displays the subsolar point and sub-Earth point on the lunar surface at a specified date and time. The points are displayed in the Subsolar/Sub-Earth Points feature layer.
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Subsolar Points / Sub-Earth Points | Displays the subsolar point and/or sub-Earth point selected using the checkboxes. |
| Date | Specifies the date and time for which the subsolar and sub-Earth points will be created. |
| Clear | Deletes all points. |
| Apply | Creates the subsolar and sub-Earth points at the specified date. |
6.9. Search by Name
Displays a list of lunar Nomenclature names based on a keyword search. Select an entry and click the “Apply” button to move to that location.
Analysis example from VP
Perform many different types of analyses on VP. An example of an analysis via band ratioing using MI reflectance data can be downloaded from the following link.
Open the data analysis procedure manual (PDF)