Other
Scientific paper
Oct 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010dps....42.2103k&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #42, #21.03; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 42, p.985
Other
Scientific paper
Observations made by the Ultraviolet and Visible Spectrometer (UVVS) on the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft during the three flybys of the planet (M1 on 14 January 2008; M2 on 6 October 2008; M3 on 29 September, 2009) measured differing spatial distributions for three exospheric species: sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg). The M3 trajectory allowed the UVVS to obtain altitude scans above Mercury's north and south poles, which was not possible during the earlier flybys because of pointing constraints. Near closest approach, a roll maneuver as MESSENGER entered Mercury's shadow carried the UVVS field of view in an arc perpendicular to the Sun-Mercury line. During M3, these "fantail” observations began looking south and rolled through the dawn direction to slightly duskward of north. Throughout M3 the UVVS scanned for emission lines from four species (vacuum wavelengths): Na at 589.2 and 589.8 nm, Mg at 285.3 nm, Ca at 422.8 nm, and Ca+ at 393.5 nm. The observed latitudinal distribution of each of these species is markedly different in the antisunward region of the exosphere probed by the fantail observations. The polar altitude distributions for the three species were also different from one another, but whereas the Na and Ca profiles were roughly symmetric between the north and south, the Mg emissions showed significant north-south variations. We have run Monte Carlo simulations of the Mg exosphere for conditions that prevailed during M3 to establish the cause of these variations.
Benna Marcus
Burger Matthew Howard
Killen Rosemary Margaret
McClintock William E.
Mouawad Nelly
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