Articles | Volume 37, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-37-455-2019
© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-37-455-2019
© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Regular paper
| 
02 Jul 2019
Regular paper |
| 02 Jul 2019
| 02 Jul 2019
Mercury's subsolar sodium exosphere: an ab initio calculation to interpret MASCS/UVVS observations from MESSENGER
Diana Gamborino
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Space Research and Planetary Sciences, Physics Institute, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
Audrey Vorburger
Space Research and Planetary Sciences, Physics Institute, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
Peter Wurz
Space Research and Planetary Sciences, Physics Institute, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
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Cited
21 citations as recorded by crossref.
- The Interplay of Surface Composition, Mineralogy, and Physical Conditions That Affect the Surface Release Processes and Particle Environment of Mercury P. Wurz et al. 10.3847/PSJ/ad95fa
- Ion density and phase space density distribution of planetary ions Na+, O+ and He+ in Mercury’s magnetosphere A. Werner et al. 10.1016/j.icarus.2021.114734
- The yearly variability of the sodium exosphere of Mercury: A toy model A. Mura et al. 10.1016/j.icarus.2023.115441
- Influence of Mercury's Exosphere on the Structure of the Magnetosphere W. Exner et al. 10.1029/2019JA027691
- Seasonal Variability of Mercury's Sodium Exosphere Deduced From MESSENGER Data and Numerical Simulation Y. Suzuki et al. 10.1029/2020JE006472
- Space weathering on inner planetary surface analogues induced by swift multicharged heavy ion bombardment R. Martinez et al. 10.1016/j.icarus.2021.114830
- Rationale for BepiColombo Studies of Mercury’s Surface and Composition D. Rothery et al. 10.1007/s11214-020-00694-7
- Cross-comparison of global simulation models applied to Mercury’s dayside magnetosphere S. Aizawa et al. 10.1016/j.pss.2021.105176
- Establishing a Best Practice for SDTrimSP Simulations of Solar Wind Ion Sputtering L. Morrissey et al. 10.3847/PSJ/acc587
- Hybrid Simulations of Solar Wind Proton Precipitation to the Surface of Mercury S. Fatemi et al. 10.1029/2019JA027706
- Coupled H, H2, OH, and H2O lunar exosphere simulation framework and impacts of conversion reactions A. Smolka et al. 10.1016/j.icarus.2023.115508
- The BepiColombo Planetary Magnetometer MPO-MAG: What Can We Learn from the Hermean Magnetic Field? D. Heyner et al. 10.1007/s11214-021-00822-x
- The MEFISTO and WPT Electric Field Sensors of the Plasma Wave Investigation on the BepiColombo Mio Spacecraft T. Karlsson et al. 10.1007/s11214-020-00760-0
- Energy and Temperature Dependencies for Electron-induced Sputtering from H2O Ice: Implications for the Icy Galilean Moons R. Carmack & M. Loeffler 10.3847/PSJ/ad484d
- Evolution of Mercury’s Earliest Atmosphere N. Jäggi et al. 10.3847/PSJ/ac2dfb
- Solar Wind Ion Sputtering of Sodium from Silicates Using Molecular Dynamics Calculations of Surface Binding Energies L. Morrissey et al. 10.3847/2041-8213/ac42d8
- Investigating Mercury’s Environment with the Two-Spacecraft BepiColombo Mission A. Milillo et al. 10.1007/s11214-020-00712-8
- Theoretical Calculations on the Effect of Adsorbed Atom Coverage on the Sodium Exospheres of Airless Bodies L. Morrissey et al. 10.3847/1538-4357/adad63
- SERENA: Particle Instrument Suite for Determining the Sun-Mercury Interaction from BepiColombo S. Orsini et al. 10.1007/s11214-020-00787-3
- Future Directions for the Investigation of Surface-Bounded Exospheres in the Inner Solar System A. Milillo et al. 10.1007/s11214-023-00994-8
- Particles and Photons as Drivers for Particle Release from the Surfaces of the Moon and Mercury P. Wurz et al. 10.1007/s11214-022-00875-6
18 citations as recorded by crossref.
- The Interplay of Surface Composition, Mineralogy, and Physical Conditions That Affect the Surface Release Processes and Particle Environment of Mercury P. Wurz et al. 10.3847/PSJ/ad95fa
- Ion density and phase space density distribution of planetary ions Na+, O+ and He+ in Mercury’s magnetosphere A. Werner et al. 10.1016/j.icarus.2021.114734
- The yearly variability of the sodium exosphere of Mercury: A toy model A. Mura et al. 10.1016/j.icarus.2023.115441
- Influence of Mercury's Exosphere on the Structure of the Magnetosphere W. Exner et al. 10.1029/2019JA027691
- Seasonal Variability of Mercury's Sodium Exosphere Deduced From MESSENGER Data and Numerical Simulation Y. Suzuki et al. 10.1029/2020JE006472
- Space weathering on inner planetary surface analogues induced by swift multicharged heavy ion bombardment R. Martinez et al. 10.1016/j.icarus.2021.114830
- Rationale for BepiColombo Studies of Mercury’s Surface and Composition D. Rothery et al. 10.1007/s11214-020-00694-7
- Cross-comparison of global simulation models applied to Mercury’s dayside magnetosphere S. Aizawa et al. 10.1016/j.pss.2021.105176
- Establishing a Best Practice for SDTrimSP Simulations of Solar Wind Ion Sputtering L. Morrissey et al. 10.3847/PSJ/acc587
- Hybrid Simulations of Solar Wind Proton Precipitation to the Surface of Mercury S. Fatemi et al. 10.1029/2019JA027706
- Coupled H, H2, OH, and H2O lunar exosphere simulation framework and impacts of conversion reactions A. Smolka et al. 10.1016/j.icarus.2023.115508
- The BepiColombo Planetary Magnetometer MPO-MAG: What Can We Learn from the Hermean Magnetic Field? D. Heyner et al. 10.1007/s11214-021-00822-x
- The MEFISTO and WPT Electric Field Sensors of the Plasma Wave Investigation on the BepiColombo Mio Spacecraft T. Karlsson et al. 10.1007/s11214-020-00760-0
- Energy and Temperature Dependencies for Electron-induced Sputtering from H2O Ice: Implications for the Icy Galilean Moons R. Carmack & M. Loeffler 10.3847/PSJ/ad484d
- Evolution of Mercury’s Earliest Atmosphere N. Jäggi et al. 10.3847/PSJ/ac2dfb
- Solar Wind Ion Sputtering of Sodium from Silicates Using Molecular Dynamics Calculations of Surface Binding Energies L. Morrissey et al. 10.3847/2041-8213/ac42d8
- Investigating Mercury’s Environment with the Two-Spacecraft BepiColombo Mission A. Milillo et al. 10.1007/s11214-020-00712-8
- Theoretical Calculations on the Effect of Adsorbed Atom Coverage on the Sodium Exospheres of Airless Bodies L. Morrissey et al. 10.3847/1538-4357/adad63
3 citations as recorded by crossref.
- SERENA: Particle Instrument Suite for Determining the Sun-Mercury Interaction from BepiColombo S. Orsini et al. 10.1007/s11214-020-00787-3
- Future Directions for the Investigation of Surface-Bounded Exospheres in the Inner Solar System A. Milillo et al. 10.1007/s11214-023-00994-8
- Particles and Photons as Drivers for Particle Release from the Surfaces of the Moon and Mercury P. Wurz et al. 10.1007/s11214-022-00875-6
Latest update: 29 Mar 2025
Short summary
We propose that the temperature of the Na exosphere of Mercury near the subsolar point is not at high as proposed in previous works. Using a numerical model and the appropriate energy distributions for each release mechanism, we can explain observations made by MESSENGER in April 2012. Our results show that close to the surface, the dominant release mechanism for Na is evaporation due to the solar irradiation, and at high altitudes the best candidate is the release by micro-meteoroid impacts.
We propose that the temperature of the Na exosphere of Mercury near the subsolar point is not at...
