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Lunar Atmosphere, Source and Loss Processes

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Encyclopedia of Lunar Science

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The Moon is the closest example of bodies with surface-bounded exospheres, i.e., bodies that do not possess a collisional atmosphere. Since collisions between particles are negligible, the dynamics of the exosphere depend on the interaction of the source with the surface, i.e., from the processes with which atoms and molecules are released. These processes include both external drivers, such as solar irradiation, micrometeoroids, solar wind, and other energetic particles and photons including visible and ultraviolet solar radiation, extragalactic gamma rays, and Lyman-alpha photons resonantly scattered by hydrogen atoms in the interplanetary medium. Internal drivers include thermal desorption (evaporation) and venting from the interior.

This chapter elucidates sources and sinks of the lunar exosphere.

Sources

Impact Vaporization: Impact vaporization is the most universal process in promoting atomic, molecular, and ionic species into the exosphere, in that it is energetic enough to...

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA

    Rosemary M. Killen

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  1. Rosemary M. Killen
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Correspondence to Rosemary M. Killen .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Prairie View A&M University, Houston, TX, USA

    Brian Cudnik

Section Editor information

  1. Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA

    Cesare Grava

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Killen, R.M. (2019). Lunar Atmosphere, Source and Loss Processes. In: Cudnik, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Lunar Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05546-6_89-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05546-6_89-1

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-05546-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-05546-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Physics and AstronomyReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Chemistry, Materials and Physics

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