The Radio Anatomy of Moon Bound Hypersensitive ionosphere and Atmosphere - Langmuir Probe (RAMBHA-LP) payload on board Chandrayaan-3’s lander Vikram has completed the first in-situ measurements of the surface-bound lunar plasma environment over the south polar region.
The RAMBHA-Langmuir Probe (RAMBHA-LP), named after American chemist and physicist Irving Langmuir, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, is a device used for characterising a plasma.
“The initial assessment indicates that the plasma encompassing the lunar surface is relatively sparse, characterised by a number density ranging from approximately 5 to 30 million electrons per cubic meter. This evaluation specifically pertains to the early stages of the lunar daytime. The probe operates without interruption, aiming to explore the changes occurring in the near-surface plasma environment throughout the lunar day. These ongoing observations hold significant implications for comprehending the process of charging within the lunar near-surface region, particularly in response to the fluctuations in solar space weather conditions,” ISRO said on Thursday.
