Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Sep 2008
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008dps....40.5109s&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #40, #51.09; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 40, p.491
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
We present results from coronagraphic imaging of Mercury's sodium tail over a 7° field of view. Several sets of observations made at the McDonald Observatory since May `07; show a tail of neutral sodium atoms stretching more than 1000 Mercury radii in length, a full degree of sky. No extended tail was observed, however, during the January `08; Messenger fly-by period, or in July `08. Large changes heliocentric radial velocity cause Doppler shifts about the Fraunhofer absorption features, and the resulting change in resonant scattering is the primary cause of the observed variation in tail brightness. Smaller fluctuations in brightness may exist from changing source rates at the surface. Sources of Mercury's sodium exosphere include sputtering from UV sunlight, solar wind channeled along Mercury's magnetic field lines, and meteorite impacts. These wide angle observations can help in understanding the time history of source rates.
Baumgardner Jeff
Mendillo Michael
Schmidt Carl
Wilson Jeanine
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