The X-ray spectrometer CLASS on the Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter has mapped the abundance of sodium on the Moon for the first time, ISRO said in its press release on October 7.
Key points
- Chandrayaan-1 X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer (C1XS) detected sodium from its characteristic line in X-rays which opened up the possibility of mapping the amount of sodium on the Moon.
- In a recent work published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Chandrayaan-2 mapped the abundance of sodium on the Moon for the very first time using its large area X-ray spectrometer, CLASS. Built at the U R Rao Satellite Centre of ISRO in Bengaluru, CLASS provides clean signatures of the sodium line thanks to its high sensitivity and performance.
- The study finds that a part of the signal could be arising from a thin veneer of sodium atoms weakly bound to the lunar grains.
- These sodium atoms can be nudged out of the surface by solar wind or Ultra Violet radiation more easily than if they were part of the lunar minerals.
- Also shown is a diurnal variation of the surface sodium that would explain the continuous supply of atoms to the exosphere, sustaining it.
About Chandrayaan-2
- India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle, GSLV MkIII-M1, had successfully launched Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft on July 22, 2019 into its planned orbit.
- The launch took place from the Second Launch Pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota.
- It comprised an Orbiter, Vikram Lander and Pragya Rover to explore the unexplored South Pole of the Moon.
- While orbiting the moon in a 100 km lunar polar orbit, on September 02, 2019, Vikram Lander was separated from the Orbiter in preparation for landing. However, communication from lander to the ground stations was lost.
