In the wake of Chandrayaan-3's triumphant soft landing on the Moon, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has been relentless in its pursuit of lunar insights. Just days after touchdown, the ChaSTE payload (Chandra's Surface Thermophysical Experiment) on the Vikram Lander has delivered a revelation that has left ISRO scientists astonished. For the first time, we have a thermal profile of the lunar topsoil around the Moon's enigmatic south pole.

Lunar Thermals: A Surprise

ISRO recently shared a temperature variation graph illustrating the lunar surface's or near-surface's temperatures at different depths, recorded during ChaSTE's probe penetration. The results are nothing short of remarkable. The temperature swings range from a scorching 60 degrees Celsius down to a frigid -10 degrees Celsius, contingent on the depth.

At the lunar surface, temperatures stood at a sweltering 50 degrees Celsius. However, a mere 8 centimeters below, they plummeted to a bone-chilling -10 degrees Celsius. Astonishingly, just 1-2 centimeters beneath the surface, the mercury soared to a surprising 60-70 degrees Celsius.

Lunar Climate Extremes:

The Moon's lack of an atmosphere has subjected it to the unrelenting assault of the Sun's searing radiation and other celestial elements, leading to temperature extremes that challenge the imagination. We're talking about highs of 120°C at the lunar equator during the day and plummeting to a staggering -250°C at the poles during the frigid lunar nights. So, if you had any immediate aspirations of moon relocation, you might want to reconsider unless you have an affinity for tropical weather extremes.

Unlocking the South Pole's Secrets:

The lunar south pole has remained a largely unexplored frontier until now, shrouded in mystery due to its shadowy nature. Understanding the thermal dynamics of the Moon's surface was made possible by ChaSTE's controlled penetration mechanism, capable of reaching depths of 10 centimeters below the lunar surface, and the ten temperature sensors on the lander's temperature probe.

ISRO scientists are still meticulously analyzing the data, but the unexpectedly high-temperature variations have raised eyebrows.

Implications for Lunar Exploration:

The lunar south pole is particularly appealing to space agencies due to its potential reservoir of water ice. This newfound data challenges prior assumptions about the area where Vikram landed, where temperatures were anticipated to hover between 20°C to 30°C. Instead, ChaSTE's findings point to temperature highs of 70°C.

This revelation is especially intriguing because, on Earth, temperature variations of just 2-3 degrees are observed a few centimeters below the surface. In contrast, the Moon's south pole exhibits a remarkable 50-degree temperature fluctuation between the surface and 8 centimeters below.



Further analysis will unravel the mystery behind these stark temperature disparities. Meanwhile, Chandrayaan-3's Vikram lander and Pragyan rover will pursue their mission to explore water-ice reservoirs and analyze lunar soil components. The ultimate goal is to assess the potential extraction of water, oxygen, and fuel from the lunar soil for future crewed lunar missions—a prospect that has been significantly enriched by ChaSTE's unexpected findings.

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