Seasonal Variability of Mercury's Sodium Exosphere Deduced from
MESSENGER Data and Numerical Simulation
Abstract
Mercury is valuable to us because we can see the interaction between the
planet and its space environment. This research aims to clarify how
Mercury’s neutral Na exosphere was produced. Data from MESSENGER/MASCS
and model calculations that examine possible generation, transportation
and dissipation processes will be compared. First, seasonal variability
of the amount of Na exosphere is analyzed for each local time (LT) using
MASCS data. Previous research has shown that the amount of Na above LT12
reaches its maximum at aphelion, and it is found that this maximum is
recorded only at LT12. Following this result, we construct 3-D Na
exosphere model to understand the key seasonal variability processes
occurring around LT12. The numerical calculation produced results that
are consistent with the MASCS observations regarding the vertical
profile and the seasonal variability at LT06 and LT18. However, the peak
that occurs around aphelion at LT12 could not be reproduced. Yet the
model produced results suggesting that less than 10 kg particles of
comet stream dust per Mercury year could be the local and short-term
source of Na.