A new study maps how solar wind particles alter Mercury's surface and its thin atmosphere.
The study also took into account the interactions of the solar wind with Mercury’s magnetic field, which is much weaker than Earth’s and varies with distance from the Sun. The researchers used a computer model to simulate how the solar wind particles penetrate through Mercury’s magnetic field and reach the surface. They then integrated the results over a full Mercury day, which is equivalent to two full orbits around the Sun.
The study found that there are significant variations in the location and energy of the solar wind particles that hit Mercury’s surface. The particles have higher energy near the poles and lower energy near the equator. The particles also have different energy levels depending on whether they are protons or electrons. The study also identified regions on Mercury’s surface that receive more or less exposure to the solar wind particles.
The study’s lead author is Federico Lavorenti from France and Italy, who is an expert in modeling the interactions of the solar wind with magnetic fields. Another co-author is Deborah Domingue from PSI, who has studied how planetary surfaces are altered by the solar wind.. This interaction is responsible for creating Mercury's exosphere, its incredibly thin atmosphere, and it also alters the minerals making up the planet's surface.
The study also compared Mercury with Earth, which has a much thicker atmosphere and a stronger magnetic field that protects it from most of the solar wind particles. Only in some regions near the poles, where the magnetic field leaves openings, can the protons and ions from the solar wind reach the surface. This produces the aurora borealis near the north pole, the aurora australis near the south, as well as the polar rain and other effects.
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