ISRO HighPrep InterIIT Tech

About URSC, ISRO
UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) , Indian Space Research Organisation

(ISRO) under the Department of Space, is the lead centre for design,
development and realisation of satellites of ISRO. During the 70's and
the 80's URSC was engaged in mastering the basic technologies and
skills required for the specialized task of satellite building. Since the
early 90's a host of contemporary and advanced communication,
meteorological, remote sensing, navigation and space science were
built and launched.
The communication, meteorological, remote sensing and navigation

satellites launched by URSC have continued to serve the key sectors
of the Indian economy like communication, agriculture, water
resources, urban planning, Land use, Fisheries, Oceanography,
Weather forecasting, Disaster management, Search and Rescue and
Navigation. The Space science missions like Chandrayaan-1, 2, 3,
Mars Orbiter Mission, Astrosat, Aditya-L1 and XPOSAT have put India
in the global map while also inspiring the Gen next.
More than 100 state-of-the-art satellites built over four decades by

URSC , the abode of Indian satellites, stand testimony to the technical
excellence the centre has scaled. With about 2500 highly trained and
skilled manpower, URSC today is home to a host of advanced, cutting
edge satellite technologies that feeds into the Indian Space
Programme.The centre also houses ultra modern design, development,
fabrication and testing facilities for satellites.
Introduction & Motivation

A giant impact on young Earth about 4.5 billion years ago is believed
to have formed the Moon. Earth moved on with hardly any memory of
this catastrophic event. Moon cooled down and formed a crust, mantle
and core and since then has stood as a canvas to mark the events in
the early Solar System.
The surface composition of the Moon reflects the crustal composition,
excavated materials, impact generated materials and weathering due to
solar wind interaction.
The dark regions on the Moon visible to the naked eye are results of
several episodes of volcanism that reveals its thermal and magmatic
evolution.
Mapping the surface elemental abundances is of importance to
understand the composition of the Moon as well as to identify potential
sites for sample return and insitu resource utilization. And one of the
most direct ways to map the elemental composition is X-ray
spectroscopy.
CLASS is an X-ray fluorescence experiment onboard the Chandryaan-2

orbiter which has been operating since September 2019. Over the last
five years, CLASS has measured a large number of lunar X-ray
spectra. With a detailed spectral modelling, elemental maps of all
major rock forming elements at 150 - 15 km spatial resolution have
been generated for several regions.
However, there is potential to map the entire lunar surface chemical

heterogeneity at finer spatial scales. The proposed problem is to
generate a lunar map at unprecedented spatial scales by utilising the
X-ray fluorescence line intensity ratios.
Problem Statement
X-ray fluorescence (XRF) lines are detected in CLASS during solar
flares. The XRF line energy identifies the element while intensity
depends on solar flare strength, solar zenith angle and composition.
By taking line ratios, the angular dependence and incident solar flux
dependence can be eliminated to some extent.
Mg/Si and Al/Si ratios for example can reflect the compositional
heterogeneity fairly well (Figure 1).
Global XRF line ratio maps at a spatial resolution of ~ 12 km can be

generated from CLASS data which would be a new independent map
useful for geochemical and resource mapping.
Figure 1: A/Si X-ray line intensity ratios derived from Apollo 15 and 16 experiments (Gloudemans et al, 2021)
The observed spectrum in CLASS (Figure 2) consists of XRF lines,

scattered solar X rays and background arising from particles in the
lunar orbit. The routine CLASS data analysis pipeline models the X-ray
spectra with good statistics to derive elemental abundances.
Several spectra are added to achieve statistics except for occasions

when the incident solar flux is high.
The objective here is to utilise the entire set of XRF spectra measured
by CLASS to derive XRF line intensities and create a high-resolution
elemental ratio map that would identify compositional differences at km
scales.
Figure 2: Lunar X-ray spectrum measured by CLASS (Narendranath et al, 2024)
Methodology
Identify spectra with XRF lines, estimate number of lines detected
and the corresponding element and its significance (detection)
Model the spectra to determine XRF line flux from each of the
detected element
Calculate ratios such as Mg/Si, Al, SI, Ca/Si and map it onto a lunar
albedo base map (eg: Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Wide Angle
Camera global map)
Derive uncertainties
Arrive at ratios that best represent the compositional heterogeneity
in the terrain
Explore the use of overlapping tracks to achieve sub pixel
resolution
Solution Deliverables
XRF line intensity maps projected onto a lunar albedo base map in
a readable format
Source codes written in open source (preferably python) software
Report outlining the steps
Bonus points for draft of a Journal Paper
Evaluation Parameters
Mid Term Report
1. A catalogue of XRF line detections and the elements along with
source codes – 10%
2. Map the coverage of the XRF lines onto a lunar base map – 10 %
3. Compositional groups based on ratios – 10%
Note: These three tasks are to be submitted as a part of the mid-term

report. If a task from these three is completed after the mid-term
report, then it will receive only half weightage.
End Term Report

1. Map the ratios onto a lunar base map – 40% (dynamic interactive
map preferred)
2. Best ratios to use and visualization of data on a lunar map – 20%
3. Subpixel resolution maps – 10%
Note: The final presentation should include a complete solution, and

the end-term report must include all the source codes to be handed
over to ISRO.
Resources
Data: https://pradan.issdc.gov.in/ch2/
Manual:
https://pradan.issdc.gov.in/ch2/protected/downloadFile/class/ch2_class
_pds_release_38_20240927.zip
CLASS instrument:
https://www.currentscience.ac.in/Volumes/118/02/0219.pdf
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0019103521001
196
CLASS elemental maps:

773
Planetary X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy:

942

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About URSC, ISRO

UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) , Indian Space Research Organisation

The communication, meteorological, remote sensing and navigation

More than 100 state-of-the-art satellites built over four decades by

Introduction & Motivation

CLASS is an X-ray fluorescence experiment onboard the Chandryaan-2

However, there is potential to map the entire lunar surface chemical

Global XRF line ratio maps at a spatial resolution of ~ 12 km can be

The observed spectrum in CLASS (Figure 2) consists of XRF lines,

Several spectra are added to achieve statistics except for occasions

Note: These three tasks are to be submitted as a part of the mid-term

End Term Report

Note: The final presentation should include a complete solution, and

CLASS elemental maps:

Planetary X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy:

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