The Pragyan rover, an integral part of India's Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission, achieved a significant milestone by conducting in-situ measurements of elemental composition on the lunar surface near the south pole. Using the Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) instrument, these measurements unequivocally confirmed the presence of sulfur in the region.

 

This detection is of great significance as it was not possible to obtain with instruments aboard lunar orbiters, as reported by the space agency in an official statement.

 

The sulfur found in lunar volcanic rocks has been identified as a distinctive feature of the presence of iron sulfide in the rocky interior of the moon. This connection suggests that precious metals may have become trapped in the rocky interior during the formation of lava on the Earth's satellite.

 

The LIBS method used for this research involves exposing materials to intense laser pulses, generating a hot and localized plasma that emits characteristic wavelengths. This allows for determining the elemental composition of the material.

 

Preliminary analyses, graphically represented, revealed the presence of several elements on the lunar surface, including aluminum, sulfur, calcium, iron, chromium, and titanium. Other measurements also indicated the existence of manganese, silicon, and oxygen.

 

While the research continues, this discovery sheds light on the chemical composition of the moon and provides valuable information about its geological history. It's worth noting that LIBS technology has been developed at the Electro-Optical Systems Laboratory in Bengaluru, showcasing the scientific and technical ingenuity of the Chandrayaan-3 mission.