of Negative Ion Laser Spectroscopy (NILS) Chinese Chang'e 6 Probe Negative ions have been detected on the surface of the moon. These ions are produced on the surface of the moon due to interactions with the solar wind.
The South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the Moon is one of the largest and oldest impact features in the Solar System. It's easy to see in the elevation data: the low central area is dark blue and purple. The mountains on its edges, remnants of the outer ring, are red and yellow. Image credit: NASA/GSFC/University of Arizona.
The solar wind is a constant stream of radiation and particles emanating from the Sun. The Earth's magnetic field acts as a shield.
In contrast, the Moon has no magnetic field and a very thin atmosphere called the exosphere.
When the solar wind hits the Moon, it reacts with the surface, sending up secondary particles.
These particles may be positively or negatively charged, or may not be charged at all.
Positively charged particles have been measured from orbit before, but measuring negatively charged particles has been difficult.
Negative ions are short-lived and cannot reach orbit, which is why ESA scientists had to operate their instruments closer to the lunar surface.
“This is ESA's first operation on the lunar surface, a world first for science and our first lunar collaboration with China,” said Neil Melville, ESA's technical lead for the NILS experiment.
“We collected data in quantity and quality far beyond our expectations.”
“These observations on the Moon will help us to better understand the surface environment and serve as a precursor to exploring the distribution of negative ions on other atmosphere-less bodies in the Solar System, from planets to asteroids and other moons,” said NILS principal investigator Dr Martin Wieser.
Chang'e-6 is scheduled to successfully land in the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the far side of the moon on June 1, 2024.
NILS began collecting science data 280 minutes after landing. The first data collection period lasted 23 minutes, after which the instruments experienced a voltage drop. Several further data collection periods followed, during which communications were interrupted and restarted.
“The equipment was getting hot, so it was alternating between short periods of running at full power and longer periods of cooling down,” Melville said.
“The fact that we managed to stay within the thermal design limits and achieve a successful recovery in extremely hot conditions is testament to the quality of the research at the Swedish Institute of Astrophysics.”
Source: www.sci.news
