Narrow-field imaging of the lunar sodium exosphere

Details Narrow-field imaging of the lunar sodium exosphere Narrow-field imaging of the lunar sodium exosphere

Feb 1995

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1995aj....109..835s&link_type=abstract

Astronomical Journal (ISSN 0004-6256), vol. 109, no. 2, p. 835-841

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

15

Emission Spectra, Horizontal Distribution, Imaging Techniques, Lunar Atmosphere, Radial Distribution, Sodium, Temporal Distribution, Vertical Distribution, Abundance, Astronomical Spectroscopy, Atmospheric Models, Gas Temperature, Geometry, High Resolution, Maxwell-Boltzmann Density Function, Narrowband

Scientific paper

We present the first results of a new technique for imaging the lunar Na atmosphere. The technique employs high resolution, a narrow bandpass, and specific observing geometry to suppress scattered light and image lunar atmospheric Na I emission down to approximately 50 km altitude. Analysis of four latitudinally dispersed images shows that the lunar Na atmosphere exhibits intersting latitudinal and radial dependencies. Application of a simple Maxwellian collisionless exosphere model indicates that: (1) at least two thermal populations are required to adequately fit the soldium's radial intensity behavior, and (2) the fractional abundances and temperatures of the two components vary systematically with latitude. We conclude that both cold (barometric) and hot (suprathermal) Na may coexist in the lunar atmosphere, either as distinct components or as elements of a continuum of populations ranging in temperature from the local surface temperature up to or exceeding escape energies.

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