ADSORPTIVE MECHANISM FOR LOSS OF THE MOON'S ATMOSPHERE,
Abstract
The thermal dissipation of gases cannot explain the practically complete absence of an atmosphere on the Moon. Therefore other mechanisms are invoked to account for it: the ionizing action of the solar ultraviolet radiation; energy transfer to lunar surface molecules from particles of the solar corpuscular radiation (solar wind); the formation, at a certain height above the lunar surface, of an ionized layer similar to the terrestrial exosphere, with a temperature of 1000-1500C. It seems that to explain the absence of an atmosphere on the Moon one must take into account the process of gas adsorption by the lunar surface. The adsorptive powers of the lunar surface must be considerable, because of its high porosity.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1969
- Accession Number
- AD0689798
Entities
People
- A. M. Gutkin
- M. S. Markov
- M. V. Slonimskaya
- Ts. M. Raitburd