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Scientists from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) recently published a paper highlighting the significance of ‘ejecta halo’,

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About Ejecta Halo:

  • When a meteorite or asteroid collides with the Moon’s surface, it creates a crater, and the material excavated from the impact site is referred to as ejecta.
    • The ejecta can be made up of rock, soil, and dust from the lunar surface.
  • When Vikram lander of Chandrayaan-3 touched down on the Moon’s surface, it resulted in a lunar phenomenon called ‘ejecta halo.’
  • It was created due to descent stage thrusters and the consequent landing of Vikram lander.
  • Scientists estimated that about 2.06 tonnes of lunar epi regolith were ejected and displaced over around the landing site.
    • Epi regolith is the top layer of the lunar surface made out of lunar rocks and soil, commonly known as moon dust.
  • On comparison of pre- and post-landing images, ejecta halo looks like an “irregular bright patch surrounding the lander”.
  • This was done using high-resolution panchromatic imagery from Orbiter High-Resolution Camera (OHRC) of the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter.

Significance:

  • The appearance and extent of an ejecta halo depend on:
    •  Size and speed of the impacting object
    • Properties of the lunar surface
    • Angle of impact
  • Their studies can provide insights into dynamics of lunar impacts and geological history of the Moon.

Ref: Source

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