Title

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

Authors

Authors

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

Comments

Authors: contact us about adding a copy of your work at STARS@ucf.edu

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

DOI Link

http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1159467

Language

English

First Page

92

Last Page

94

WOS Identifier

WOS:000257320800042

ISSN

0036-8075

Recommended Citation

"Mercury's exosphere: Observations during MESSENGER's first Mercury flyby" (2008). Faculty Bibliography 2000s. 708.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/facultybib2000/708