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Mercury’ Exosphere

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Dynamic Planet

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Abstract

An exosphere is an ensemble of atoms or molecules above a planet’ surface or atmosphere for which the mean free path is greater than the scale height (the e-folding height for density). Because collisions are rare in an exosphere, each constituent maintains its own distribution, defined by its unique combination of source energy and distribution, mass, radiation pressure and loss processes (e.g. Jeans escape, photo-dissociation; adsorption; ionization; surface chemistry). Killen and Ip (1999) give a good discussion of this concept, and many additional references.

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(2007). Mercury’ Exosphere. In: Dynamic Planet. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-48214-9_5

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