Physics – Space Physics
Scientific paper
Nov 1977
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1977rvgsp..15..491s&link_type=abstract
Reviews of Geophysics and Space Physics, vol. 15, Nov. 1977, p. 491-499.
Physics
Space Physics
16
Exosphere, Lunar Surface, Mercury (Planet), Planetary Atmospheres, Planetary Surfaces, Atmospheric Models, Atomic Collisions, Gas-Solid Interfaces, Helium, Hydrogen, Lunar Atmosphere
Scientific paper
A model of atmosphere-surface interactions on the moon and on Mercury is presented. This model rejects the traditional assumption that the atmospheric particle source is a 'saturated' absorbed surface layer of gas and instead assumes that interaction is with solid atoms bound in a lattice structure so that most collisions with the light atmospheric particles are free-free rather than free-bound. The energy accommodation per collision for He and H is dominated by first-order interaction terms and is generally less than 0.1 per collision. It follows that estimated thermal escape is drastically reduced for the light atoms on both bodies. Thus the model requires much reduced solar wind collection efficiencies for protons and alpha particles. Some peculiarities of the Mercury He and H atmospheres might possibly be explained by the nature of the gas-surface coupling.
Broadfoot Lyle A.
Shemansky Don E.
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