Abstract
The relative smallness of the mass of the Moon and the low velocity of escape from its gravitational field, together with the probable chemical composition of its globe as discussed in the preceding chapter, entail several further important consequences; and perhaps the most important one for an understanding of lunar surface features is the well-nigh complete absence of any atmosphere, which would protect this surface from a direct contact with the outer space.
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Bibliographical Notes
For the modern optical tests of a possible lunar atmosphere, cf. Fessenkov (1943), Lyot and Dollfus (1949), Dollfus (1952, 1956).
Of recent studies of the selective escape of gas from the gravitational field of the Moon, cf., e.g., Öpik (1955, 1962), Edwards and Borst (1958), Firsoff (1959), Öpik and Singer (1960), Brandt (1960), Singer (1961), and others. Among theoretical studies of lunar ionosphere and the interaction of the surface of the Moon with the solar wind, cf. Herring and Licht (1959, 1960), Nakada and Mihalov (1962), Weil and Barash (1963), Bernstein, Fredericks, Vogl and Fowler (1963), Hinton and Taeusch (1964), Manno, Sauermann and Engelman (1965), etc.
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© 1966 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
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Kopal, Z. (1966). Exosphere of the Moon. In: An Introduction to the Study of the Moon. Astrophysics and Space Science Library. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-6320-2_12
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-6320-2_12
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-017-5850-5
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