Metallic Species in Mercury's Exosphere: EMMI/New Technology Telescope Observations

Details Metallic Species in Mercury's Exosphere: EMMI/New Technology Telescope Observations Metallic Species in Mercury's Exosphere: EMMI/New Technology Telescope Observations

Apr 2009

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009aj....137.3859d&link_type=abstract

The Astronomical Journal, Volume 137, Issue 4, pp. 3859-3863 (2009).

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

1

Planets And Satellites: Individual: Mercury

Scientific paper

We performed high spectral resolution observations of Mercury's exosphere on 2005 October 30 and 31 using the European Southern Observatory-New Technology Telescope, La Silla, Chile. The large spectral range, 385-855 nm, of the spectrograph, ESO Multi-Mode Instrument, provides a unique opportunity to search for nonidentified species in Hermian's environment. In this paper, we report a tentative detection of atomic aluminum in the exosphere of Mercury. This detection should be confirmed by further observations and can be used as an upper limit for this element in Mercury's exosphere. We also estimate the upper limit for the column densities of Fe and Si exospheric atoms. Detection of Al, a refractory element, if confirmed, as well as its high exospheric abundance (between 2 and 18) with respect to Ca would suggest either an unexpected surface composition or a relation between exosphere and surface composition that is not well understood.
Based on Observations carried out at the European Southern Observatory (ESO), La Sill, Chile, Programme id 076.c-0619(A).

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Metallic Species in Mercury's Exosphere: EMMI/New Technology Telescope Observations 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 Metallic Species in Mercury's Exosphere: EMMI/New Technology Telescope Observations, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Metallic Species in Mercury's Exosphere: EMMI/New Technology Telescope Observations will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1861149