Mercury's exosphere: Observations during MESSENGER's first Mercury flyby

    Authors

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

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Science

    Keywords

    SODIUM TAIL; ATMOSPHERE; MARINER-10; DISCOVERY; REGOLITH; MISSION; CALCIUM; MODEL; MOON; NA; Multidisciplinary Sciences

    Abstract

    During MESSENGER's first Mercury flyby, the Mercury Atmospheric and Surface Composition Spectrometer measured Mercury's exospheric emissions, including those from the antisunward sodium tail, calcium and sodium close to the planet, and hydrogen at high altitudes on the dayside. Spatial variations indicate that multiple source and loss processes generate and maintain the exosphere. Energetic processes connected to the solar wind and magnetospheric interaction with the planet likely played an important role in determining the distributions of exospheric species during the flyby.

    Journal Title

    Science

    Volume

    321

    Issue/Number

    5885

    Publication Date

    1-1-2008

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    92

    Last Page

    94

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000257320800042

    ISSN

    0036-8075

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