The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Saturday said that the lunar orbiter of India’s Chandrayaan-2 has observed for the first time the effects of the Sun’s Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) on the Moon.
The discovery was made using Chandra’s Atmospheric Composition Explorer-2 (CHACE-2), one of the scientific instruments on the orbiter. The observations showed a significant increase in the total pressure of the Moon’s dayside exosphere, or its extremely thin atmosphere, when a CME impacted the Moon’s surface.
According to ISRO, the total number of neutral atoms and molecules, known as the “number density,” increased by more than an order of magnitude during this event. This confirmed long-standing theoretical models that had predicted such an effect, but it had never been directly observed before.
“This increase is consistent with earlier theoretical models that predicted such an effect, but it has been observed for the first time by CHESS-2 on board Chandrayaan-2,” the space agency said in its statement.
What is a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME)?
A coronal mass ejection is a massive eruption of plasma and magnetic field from the Sun’s corona, its outer atmosphere, that ejects high-energy particles, primarily hydrogen and helium ions, into space. When such emissions reach planetary bodies, they can affect their atmospheres and surfaces.
For Earth, its magnetic field provides a layer of protection against these effects. However, the Moon has no atmosphere or global magnetic field, leaving it highly exposed to the Sun’s activity.
This rare observation occurred on May 10th of last year, when a series of CMEs were sent from the Sun toward the Moon. This powerful solar activity caused atoms on the Moon’s surface to be knocked off course and released into the Moon’s exosphere, temporarily increasing its density and pressure.
ISRO said this direct observation provides valuable insight into how solar activity affects the Moon’s environment, knowledge that could prove crucial as humans plan to build lunar habitats and scientific bases in the future.
ISRO highlighted that such extreme solar events can temporarily alter the lunar environment, posing potential challenges for establishing a long-term base on the Moon.
Chandrayaan-2 mission
Chandrayaan-2 is India’s second lunar exploration mission, launched aboard a GSLV-Mk III-M1 rocket from Sriharikota on July 22, 2019. The mission carried eight scientific payloads to study the Moon’s surface, atmosphere, and mineral composition.
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