SPS Seminar - Mapping lunar surface chemistry with CLASS on Chandrayaan-2

When:  Thursday 16^th June at 14.00

Where:  Microsoft Teams - Online

Speaker: Shyama Narendranath (Indian Space Research Organisation ISRO) 

Hosted by: Chiaki Crews

Abstract:

Chandrayaan-2 Large Area Soft X-ray Spectrometer (CLASS) is an X-ray fluorescence instrument onboard the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter in operation since 2019. The spectrometer consists of sixteen swept charge devices operating in the 0.5 to 20 keV energy range. I will talk about the instrument design, calibration, inflight performance, and some of the science results. The potential of planetary X-ray spectroscopy for future missions will also be discussed.

Bio:

Shyama Narendranath is a scientist at the Space Astronomy Group in the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). As the Co-PI, she leads the science data analysis and onboard operations of CLASS. She co-leads the science and instrument working group for Lupex, an ISRO-JAXA lunar mission in study phase. She is also the PI of an auroral X-ray spectrometer on a proposed Earth aeronomy mission. She primarily works on elemental abundances in the Solar system with expertise in X-ray spectroscopy and instrumentation.