MESSENGER Observations of Mercury's Exosphere: Detection of Magnesium and Distribution of Constituents

    Authors

    W. E. McClintock; R. J. Vervack; E. T. Bradley; R. M. Killen; N. Mouawad; A. L. Sprague; M. H. Burger; S. C. Solomon;N. R. Izenberg

    Comments

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    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

    WOS:000265608800035

    ISSN

    0036-8075

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