“Chandrayaan-3’s Pragyan Rover Discovers Oxygen and Other Elements on Moon’s South Pole”
Introduction
India's
lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3, has made groundbreaking discoveries on the Moon's
surface. The Pragyan rover, part of the mission, has detected several elements
near the lunar south pole. While the biggest discovery is that of sulphur in
the lunar south polar region, it has also detected the presence of aluminium,
calcium, iron, chromium, titanium, manganese, silicon, and oxygen.
 |
| Pragyan Rover |
Chandrayaan-3
is India's third lunar mission. It was launched on August 23, 2023, and reached
the Moon's surface safely in a textbook style. The mission aims to explore the
Moon's south pole region and conduct scientific experiments to study its
surface and environment.
How
was the discovery made?
The
Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) instrument onboard the Pragyan
rover was instrumental in these discoveries. This scientific technique analyses
the composition of materials by exposing them to intense laser pulses,
generating a localized plasma. The light emitted from this plasma is then
spectrally resolved and detected, revealing the presence of various elements.
What
was discovered?
The
Pragyan rover has detected several elements near the lunar south pole. The
biggest discovery is that of sulphur in the lunar south polar region. It has
also detected the presence of aluminium, calcium, iron, chromium, titanium,
manganese, silicon, and oxygen.
Why
is this discovery significant?
The
detection of sulphur is particularly noteworthy as it is a relatively rare
element on the Moon. Its presence in the south polar region could indicate the
existence of water ice, a crucial factor for future lunar missions and
potential human habitation. Sulphur usually originates from volcanic
activities, and its presence on the Moon can offer valuable insights into the
Moon’s history and composition. The other elements detected are known to occur
on the Moon but their confirmation adds to our existing knowledge about the
lunar surface. The presence of these elements could provide clues about the
Moon's geological history and potential resources for future lunar missions.
Detailed
Analysis
The
following sections provide a detailed analysis of each element detected by
Chandrayaan-3.
Oxygen
Oxygen
is one of the most abundant elements in our solar system and plays a crucial
role in supporting life as we know it. Its detection on the Moon’s surface is
not surprising as it is known to be present in trace amounts in lunar rocks and
soil samples collected during previous missions. However, Chandrayaan-3’s
detection of oxygen using LIBS provides a new method for detecting this element
remotely.
Sulphur
Sulphur
is a relatively rare element on the Moon and its detection by Chandrayaan-3 is
significant. Its presence in the south polar region could indicate the
existence of water ice as sulphur usually originates from volcanic activities.
The detection of sulphur can offer valuable insights into the Moon’s history
and composition.
Aluminium
Aluminium
is one of the most abundant elements on Earth but its abundance on the Moon is
relatively low. Its detection by Chandrayaan-3 provides new insights into its
distribution on the lunar surface.
Calcium
Calcium
is an essential element for life on Earth and plays a crucial role in many
biological processes. Its detection by Chandrayaan-3 provides new insights into
its distribution on the lunar surface.
Iron
Iron
is one of the most abundant elements on Earth and plays a crucial role in many
industrial processes. Its detection by Chandrayaan-3 provides new insights into
its distribution on the lunar surface.
Chromium
Chromium
is a relatively rare element on Earth but its abundance on the Moon is higher
than expected. Its detection by Chandrayaan-3 provides new insights into its
distribution on the lunar surface.
Titanium
Titanium
is an essential element for many industrial processes due to its high
strength-to-weight ratio. Its detection by Chandrayaan-3 provides new insights
into its distribution on the lunar surface.
Manganese
Manganese
is an essential element for life on Earth and plays a crucial role in many
biological processes. Its detection by Chandrayaan-3 provides new insights into
its distribution on the lunar surface.
Silicon
Silicon
is one of the most abundant elements on Earth and plays a crucial role in many
industrial processes. Its detection by Chandrayaan-3 provides new insights into
its distribution on the lunar surface.
Conclusion
Chandrayaan-3's
discovery of oxygen and other 7 elements on Moon Surface at South Pole is a
significant milestone in India's space exploration program. The findings are
expected to contribute significantly to our understanding of the Moon's
elemental composition and geological processes. Currently, ISRO is conducting
an investigation regarding the presence of hydrogen. If found, it would be
another significant discovery given the growing interest in hydrogen as a
potential clean energy source ¹²³.
Source
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Pragyan discovers sulphur, oxygen on Moon's south polar region: Why it ....
https://www.indiatoday.in/science/chandrayaan-3/story/pragyan-rover-discovers-sulphur-on-moons-south-polar-region-why-its-a-big-deal-2428516-2023-08-30.
(2)
Chandrayaan-3: Pragyaan detects the presence of Sulphur on the Moon ....
https://newsroompost.com/india/sulphur-oxygen-aluminium-check-what-chandrayaan-3s-pragyan-rover-found-on-moon/5274332.html.
(3)
Chandrayaan-3 Confirms Presence Of Oxygen On Moon: Here's What The ....
https://www.thehealthsite.com/news/chandrayaan-3-confirms-presence-of-oxygen-on-moon-heres-what-the-discovery-means-to-isro-scientists-1005186/.
(4)
Chandrayaan-3: India’s moon rover finds oxygen, sulphur, titanium ....
https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/india/chandrayaan-3-indias-moon-rover-finds-oxygen-sulphur-titanium-aluminium-and-other-elements-on-lunar-surface-1.1693367327902.
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What Chandrayaan 3 has found on moon so far: Oxygen, sulphur ... - MSN.
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(6)
Chandrayaan-3: Oxygen Found On Moon, These Minerals Discovered As Well ....
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Chandrayaan rover detects sulphur, other elements on Moon: ISRO ....
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ISRO Latest Updates Live: Pragyan Rover Clicks Stunning Images Of Vikram Lander | Chandrayaan 3
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