The sunlit lunar atmosphere: A comprehensive study by CHACE on the Moon Impact Probe of Chandrayaan-1 |
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Authors: | R. Sridharan S.M. Ahmed Tirtha Pratim Das P. Sreelatha P. Pradeepkumar Neha Naik Gogulapati Supriya |
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Affiliation: | Space Physics Laboratory, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Trivandrum 695022, India |
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Abstract: | The altitudinal/latitudinal profile of the lunar atmospheric composition on the sunlit side was unraveled for the first time by the Chandra’s Altitudinal Composition Explorer (CHACE) on the Moon Impact Probe, a standalone micro-satellite that impacted at the lunar south pole, as a part of the first Indian mission to Moon, Chandrayaan-1. Systematic measurements were carried out during the descent phase of the impactor with an altitude resolution of ∼250 m and a latitudinal resolution of ∼0.1°. The overall pressure on the dayside and the neutral composition in the mass range 1-100 amu have been measured by identifying 44 and 18 amu as the dominant constituents. Significant amounts of heavier (>50 amu) species also have been detected, the details of which are presented and discussed. |
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Keywords: | CHACE Lunar atmosphere Chandrayaan-1 Moon Impact Probe |
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