Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Sep 2009
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009dps....41.3504o&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #41, #35.04
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
We conducted a highly successful engineering run to demonstrate the feasibility of high spectral resolution observations of the lunar exosphere. From the National Solar Observatory McMath-Pierce telscope, we used a dual etalon Fabry-Perot spectometer (R = 200,000) to measure the velocity and line width of the Na D2 (5889.950 A) emission line. We observe the intensity in equatorial and polar regions from 420 km to 2 lunar radii ( 3500 km) off the limb with a 3 arcmin (360 km) field of view. The observations were made in March 2009 at full moon to 3 days after full moon. Preliminary results indicate we can measure and, in fact, see velocity displacements between different locations of 0.25 km/s. The deconvolved line width is 2 km/s. Future plans include higher velocity-resolved line profile observations (R=300,00) under different lunar phases including in and out of the Earth's magnetotail and measurements at different altitudes and latitudes to explore factors that link observed morphologies and dynamics to the sources, sinks, and escape of the lunar atmosphere. These observations will help constrain atmospheric and surface-process modeling, and help quantify source and escape mechanisms.
Lupie Olivia L.
McKillop S. C.
Mierkiewicz Edwin J.
Oliversen Ronald James
Roesler Fred L.
No associations
LandOfFree
High Resolution Spectroscopy of the Lunar Sodium Exosphere does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with High Resolution Spectroscopy of the Lunar Sodium Exosphere, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and High Resolution Spectroscopy of the Lunar Sodium Exosphere will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1333142