Ejecta Halo

October 30, 2023

When Vikram lander of Chandrayaan-3 touched down on the Moon’s surface on August 23, it resulted in a lunar phenomenon called ‘ejecta halo.’
Scientists from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) have now published a paper highlighting the significance of ‘ejecta halo’, which has helped the space agency understand more about the lunar surface.
The paper named ‘Characterisation of Ejecta Halo on the Lunar Surface Around Chandrayaan-3 Vikram Lander Using OHRC Imagery’ indicates that ‘ejecta halo’ was created due to descent stage thrusters and the consequent landing of Vikram lander.
Scientists have “estimated that about 2.06 tonnes of lunar epi regolith were ejected and displaced over an area of 108.4 m² around the landing site”.
- Epi regolith is the top layer of the lunar surface, which is made out of lunar rocks and soil, commonly known as moon dust.