Chandrayaan-2 Uncovers Sun’s Hidden Power on the Moon: ISRO’s Rare Discovery Explained
Chennai, October 18 (PTI): India’s Chandrayaan-2 mission has once again made headlines with a groundbreaking revelation — it has detected, for the first time, how the Sun’s Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) directly affect the Moon’s surface. This exceptional finding was announced by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Saturday and marks a significant milestone in lunar and space weather research.
A New Chapter in Lunar Science
Launched on July 22, 2019, from Sriharikota aboard the GSLV-MkIII-M1 rocket, Chandrayaan-2 was designed to deepen India’s exploration of the Moon. The mission included an orbiter, a lander (Vikram), and a rover (Pragyan). While ISRO lost communication with the Vikram lander during its September 7, 2019 landing attempt, the orbiter has remained fully functional, circling the Moon in a 100 km x 100 km orbit and continuing to deliver valuable data.
In its latest discovery, the orbiter’s CHACE-2 instrument (Chandra’s Atmospheric Compositional Explorer-2) recorded a unique event — the impact of a solar CME on the Moon’s exosphere (the Moon’s extremely thin atmosphere). This is the first-ever direct observation of such an event.
What Exactly Happened?
A Coronal Mass Ejection is a massive burst of plasma and magnetic energy from the Sun, composed mainly of hydrogen and helium ions. When such an ejection reaches celestial bodies, it can cause dramatic changes to their atmospheric conditions. On Earth, we’re protected by a strong magnetic field — but the Moon, lacking both a thick atmosphere and a magnetic shield, experiences the Sun’s full impact.
According to ISRO, when the CME struck the Moon on May 10, 2024, CHACE-2 recorded a sharp rise in the total pressure of the dayside lunar exosphere. The number of neutral atoms and molecules in that region increased by more than ten times, confirming long-standing theoretical models that had predicted such behavior. This was a historic moment, as scientists were able to observe, rather than merely theorize, how the Sun’s explosive activity influences the Moon’s environment.
Why This Discovery Matters
ISRO explained that this surge of solar particles essentially “knocked off” atoms from the lunar surface, releasing them into the exosphere and temporarily altering its composition. The discovery not only enriches our understanding of space weather and lunar dynamics, but also holds crucial implications for the future of human settlements on the Moon.
Experts note that lunar base designers must account for these sudden bursts of solar energy, which can significantly modify local conditions and pose challenges for long-term operations on the Moon’s surface.
India’s Continuing Lunar Legacy
This latest achievement from Chandrayaan-2 underscores India’s growing expertise in deep-space exploration. Despite the loss of the lander, the mission continues to deliver high-impact scientific results. With the success of Chandrayaan-3 and continuing contributions from Chandrayaan-2, ISRO is establishing itself as a key player in uncovering the Moon’s mysteries and preparing for sustainable lunar exploration.
0 Comments