Estimation of lunar surface temperatures and thermophysical properties: test of a thermal model in preparation of the MERTIS experiment onboard BepiColombo

•We developed a numerical model to calculate surface temperatures of planetary airless bodies.•We derived global temperature maps of the Moon.•The Apollo 17 landing site is investigated based on topography and brightness.•This study is in preparation for the MERTIS experiment onboard the BepiColombo mission.

The Mercury Radiometer and Thermal Infrared Spectrometer (MERTIS) is part of the payload on the joint ESA-JAXA BepiColombo Mission, scheduled for launch in 2016. The spectrometer is designed to map surface compositions, to identify rock-forming minerals, to map surface mineralogy, and to study surface temperature variations. In preparation of the experiment we developed a thermal model that calculates surface temperatures based on appropriate insolation conditions and thermophysical properties. In the absence of thermal measurements on Mercury, we validate the model with lunar parameters. The results show good agreement with Apollo 17, Clementine and LRO-Diviner data. With appropriate changes of the orbital parameters and ephemeris data this model can be applied to the conditions of Mercury.