Formation of the lunar atmosphere |
| |
| Authors: | R R Hodges Jr |
| |
| Institution: | 1. The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Tex., USA
|
| |
| Abstract: | Measurements of40Ar and helium made by the Apollo 17 lunar surface mass-spectrometer are used in the synthesis of atmospheric supply and loss mechanisms. The argon data indicate that about 8% of the40Ar produced in the Moon due to decay of40K is released to the atmosphere and subsequently lost. Variability of the atmospheric abundance of argon requires that the source be localized, probably in an unfractionated, partially molten core. If so, the radiogenic helium released with the argon amounts to 10% of the atmospheric helium supply. The total rate of helium escape from the Moon accounts for only 60% of the solar windα particle influx. This seems to require a nonthermal escape mechanism for trapped solar-wind gases, probably involving weathering of exposed soil grain surfaces by solar wind protons. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
| 本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录！ |
|
