The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) reported on the "halo" generated by the Apollo 15 lunar module engine exhaust plume that was detected in the data from Terrain Camera (TC) image.
This was an image processed by the SELENE mission instrument team from the observation data of the Apollo 15 landing site on the moon (the foot of the Apennine Mountains encircling the Mare Imbrium close to Hadley Rille). This is the world's first report on the detection of the "halo" through observations after the end of the Apollo program.
The enlarged image where the area of the potential "halo" exists. (left image: 1 square kilometer in size. The red circle encloses the potential "halo").The reflectivity of the "halo" area became brighter than the original one by the Apollo 15 lunar module engine exhaust plume and the probable "halo" area was confirmed. Right two images show the reflectivity change of the surface before and after the landing of the Apollo 15. At right-top, oblique view as taken from the lunar module on descent approach: at right-bottom, view taken from command-service module two revolutions after the landing. The circle encloses the landing site in both views, the latter having a bright halo.
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