Re-analysis of the anthropogenic effect of the COVID-19 global lockdown on night-time lunar surface temperatures

ABSTRACT A study by Durga Prasad and Ambily observed an anomalous decrease in the lunar surface temperatures during the period April–May 2020, which they then attributed to the anthropogenic effects of the COVID-19 global lockdown effect. We have re-examined their data and while the anomalous decrease in the lunar surface temperature during April–May 2020 appears in our analysis as well, so does another significant dip in early 2018. Furthermore, the decline to the minimum observed during April–May 2020 is seen to begin in 2019, that is, quite some time before the COVID-19 event that led to the global lockdown and the suggested anthropogenic effect of reduced pollution. We, therefore, conclude that one cannot attribute the effects of the observed changes in the lunar surface temperature during April–May 2020 directly and unambiguously to reduced human activity during the COVD-19 lockdown as claimed by Durga Prasad and Ambily.