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Source- This post on First findings from ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 APXS Payload has been created based on the article “What the first findings from ISRO’s Chandrayaan 3 mission tell us about the Moon” published in “The Indian Express” on 23rd August.
Why in News?
Recently, scientists in India have released the findings of studies carried out by the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) payload, which was part of the Chandrayaan-3 mission. The findings reveal the first analysis of the composition of the topsoil in the Moon’s southern latitudes.
What are the three Key Findings by the Chandrayaan 3 APXS payload?
| Finding 1 | The terrain around Chandrayaan 3’s landing site is fairly uniform |
| Finding 2 | The Moon’s crust was formed layer by layer. (This finding adds further credence to the lunar magma ocean (LMO) hypothesis. Lunar magma ocean (LMO) hypothesis, states that lunar surface in the immediate aftermath of the Moon’s formation was covered by a sea of molten material.) |
| Finding 3 | The topsoil around the lunar south pole has a greater-than-expected sprinkling of minerals, as compared to the lower layers of the lunar crust. |
Reasons propounded by the scientists for Finding-3 which is a new discovery by APXS
The third finding of the topsoil around the lunar South Pole having greater-than expected sprinkling of minerals when compared to the lower layers of the lunar crust, is a new finding.
Reasons given by scientists- The researchers have proposed that this “mixing” could have been caused by the asteroid impact that led to the formation of the South Pole Aitken (SPA) Basin. The researchers theorise that this asteroid impact resulted in the excavation of magnesium-rich material from deeper layers of the Moon, out to the surface of the surrounding areas as ejecta. Since the Chandrayaan-3 landing site was just 350 km from the rim of the SPA basin, it could have been the reason for greater mixing.
| SPA basin has a diameter of approximately 2,500 km. It is believed to have been formed 4.2-4.3 billion years ago, when the asteroid hit near the lunar south pole. |
What is the Significance of these Findings?
1. First measurements near the Moon’s poles- Chandrayaan-3 is the first space mission the first to carry out in situ experiments of any kind at the poles. It is also the first time that soil measurements on lunar highlands (light coloured, elevated basins on the Moon standing above dark-coloured basins known as maria) have been taken with such high frequency.
2. Remote sensing and planning future missions- The finding of uniform surface near the lunar pole, implies that the region can be used as a calibration point for remote sensing operations, and can thus be used for planning future missions.
3. Source-crater pairing of lunar meteorites- Future missions near the south pole can also evaluate for source-crater pairing of lunar meteorites.
| Lunar Meteorites- Lunar meteorites are meteors that originate from the Moon, and are ejected upon impact from an asteroid or comet. These are caught in the Earth’s gravitational field, and eventually end up on Earth. |
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