Title
MESSENGER Observations of Mercury's Exosphere: Detection of Magnesium and Distribution of Constituents
Abbreviated Journal Title
Science
Keywords
SODIUM TAIL; ATMOSPHERE; DISCOVERY; POTASSIUM; EMISSION; MISSION; CALCIUM; FLYBY; RATES; NA; Multidisciplinary Sciences
Abstract
Mercury is surrounded by a tenuous exosphere that is supplied primarily by the planet's surface materials and is known to contain sodium, potassium, and calcium. Observations by the Mercury Atmospheric and Surface Composition Spectrometer during MESSENGER's second Mercury flyby revealed the presence of neutral magnesium in the tail (anti-sunward) region of the exosphere, as well as differing spatial distributions of magnesium, calcium, and sodium atoms in both the tail and the nightside, near-planet exosphere. Analysis of these observations, supplemented by observations during the first Mercury flyby, as well as those by other MESSENGER instruments, suggests that the distinct spatial distributions arise from a combination of differences in source, transfer, and loss processes.
Journal Title
Science
Volume
324
Issue/Number
5927
Publication Date
1-1-2009
Document Type
Article
Language
English
First Page
610
Last Page
613
WOS Identifier
ISSN
0036-8075
Recommended Citation
"MESSENGER Observations of Mercury's Exosphere: Detection of Magnesium and Distribution of Constituents" (2009). Faculty Bibliography 2000s. 1891.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/facultybib2000/1891
Comments
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