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Mapping the Moon’s South Pole
Context:
The first detailed geological map of the moon’s south polar region, created by researchers from Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, Panjab University, Chandigarh, and Laboratory for Electro-Optics Systems, ISRO, Bengaluru, used data from India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission.
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- This region is where India’s Chandrayaan-3 lander, Vikram, touched down on August 23, 2023.
- The map is expected to provide new insights into the moon’s origin and evolution.
- The data was collected from the Pragyan rover, which operated for nine days to analyse the moon’s regolith (loose surface material).
Confirming the Presence of Magma Beneath the Surface
- The mission confirmed that the moon harbours an underground ocean of molten rock (primordial magma).
- Previous missions (Apollo, Luna, Surveyor, and Chang’e 3) suggested magma presence but lacked polar data.
- Chandrayaan-3, landing 630 km from the south pole, provided crucial evidence.
- In September 2024, PRL scientists confirmed magma presence using the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer aboard Pragyan.
Key Findings from the Geological Map
- The new map, published in Advances in Space Research on January 20, 2025, reveals:
- A landscape of highlands and low, flat plains around Vikram’s landing site.
- The presence of secondary craters, with Schomberger crater identified as the primary debris source.
- The calculated age of the landing region: 3.7 billion years, aligning with the emergence of microbial life on Earth.
Common Origin of Earth and Moon
- The earth and moon share similar evolutionary trajectories:
- The moon’s orbital inclination aligns with Earth’s rotation.
- Their geochemical composition includes several common isotopes.
- Scientists believe the moon formed 4.5 billion years ago when Earth collided with a Mars-sized planetary body.
- The debris from this impact eventually solidified into the moon.
South Pole-Aitken Basin: A Window into Lunar History
- The Vikram lander touched down near one of the oldest craters: South Pole-Aitken Basin.
- It is one of the largest impact craters in the Solar System.
- Lunar craters help scientists study impact history on Earth and other inner planets.
Lunar Craters as ‘Time Capsules’
- Unlike Earth, the moon’s airless and arid conditions preserve impact craters for billions of years.
- Lunar impact basins retain original records of solar system formation events.
- Scientists struggle to reconstruct Earth’s impact history beyond a few hundred million years, but lunar craters help bridge that gap.
- Maps like the new one from Chandrayaan-3 are valuable for dating geological features on other planets.
Threats to the Pristine Lunar Surface
- Human activities on the moon could disturb its unique regolith and thin lunar atmosphere.
- Since the first lunar landing by the Soviet Luna 2 probe in 1959, several countries have left behind: Spacecraft components, Waste materials, Footprints, golf balls, and rover tracks from Apollo missions.
- Scientists worry about the contamination of lunar ice reserves by spacecraft exhaust, which affects accurate water ice studies.
Need for a Legal
Framework for Lunar Exploration
- The Outer Space Treaty (1967) lacks specific provisions on space contamination.
- With upcoming lunar mining and human colonisation efforts, a clear legal framework is urgently needed.
- International guidelines should be established to protect the moon’s environment before large-scale human activities begin.
