ISRO on 27 August released a graph of the temperature variation on the lunar surface and a senior scientist of the space agency has expressed surprise over the high temperature recorded on the Moon.
The space agency shared an update saying that Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE) payload onboard Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram lander measured the temperature profile of the lunar topsoil around the pole to understand the thermal behaviour of the Moon’s surface.
While speaking to news agency PTI, ISRO scientist B H M Darukesha said, “We all believed that the temperature could be somewhere around 20 degree centigrade to 30 degree centigrade on the surface but it is 70 degree centigrade. This is surprisingly higher than what we had expected.”
The space agency said the payload has a temperature probe equipped with a controlled penetration mechanism capable of reaching a depth of 10 centimetres beneath the surface. Issuing a statement it said, “The probe is fitted with 10 individual temperature sensors. The presented graph illustrates the temperature variations of the lunar surface/near-surface at various depths, as recorded during the probe’s penetration. This is the first such profile for the lunar south pole. Detailed observations are underway,” ISRO said in a statement.”
Darukesha further highlighted an interesting observations and said, “When we go two to three centimetres inside the Earth, we hardly see two to three degree centigrade variation whereas there (in Moon), it is about 50 degree centigrade variation. This is something interesting,” as quoted by PTI.
The scientist also added that the temperatures below the lunar surface drops as low as minus 10 degrees Celsius, adding that the variation is from 70 degree Celsius to minus 10 degree Celsius.
Meanwhile, the ChaSTE payload was developed by a team led by the Space Physics Laboratory (SPL) of the space agency’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in collaboration with Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad.
On Sunday, while plying on the Moon’s surface, the Rover faced an obstacle as it came across a 4-meter diameter crater. In an update, the space agency said the crater was positioned 3 meters ahead of its location. ISRO then decided to command the Rover to retrace the path and informed that the Rover was now safely heading on a new path.
India on August 23 scripted history as ISRO’s ambitious third Moon mission Chandrayaan-3 touched down on the lunar surface, making it only the fourth country to accomplish the feat, and first to reach the uncharted south pole of Earth’s only natural satellite.
(With inputs from PTI)
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Updated: 29 Aug 2023, 09:46 AM IST