Chandrayaan-2 finds ‘possible presence’ of ice in lunar south pole, Pg12

Key Highlights:

• Chandrayaan-2 found possible sub-surface ice in the Lunar South Polar Region using its Dual Frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar (DFSAR).
• Scientists focused on doubly shadowed craters within permanently shadowed regions (PSRs).
• These PSRs maintain extremely cold temperatures (around -25K) favorable for preserving water-ice.
• Radar analysis identified signatures suggesting sub-surface ice in four doubly shadowed craters.

Detailed Insights:

• Chandrayaan-2, launched nearly six years ago, continues to deliver valuable data about the moon.
• Doubly shadowed craters are unique due to their continuous shielding from sunlight and thermal radiation.
• The extremely low temperatures in PSRs allow water-ice to be preserved over extended geological periods.
• The discovery has significant implications for planning and executing future lunar exploration missions.

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Scientific/Technical Concepts Involved:

• Dual Frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar (DFSAR): An advanced radar system used for high-resolution imaging of surfaces.
• Permanently Shadowed Regions (PSRs): Lunar areas that never receive direct sunlight, maintaining extremely low temperatures.
• Radar Polarimetric Analysis: A technique used to analyze the properties of radar waves to infer characteristics of a surface.