1. Exospheres and Energetic Neutral Atoms of Mars, Venus and Titan
- Author
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Herbert Lichtenegger, Magda Delva, Philippe Garnier, Hannes Gröller, Alessandro Mura, Yoshifumi Futaana, Jean-Yves Chaufray, and H. Todd Smith
- Subjects
Physics ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Energetic neutral atom ,biology ,Venus ,Mars Exploration Program ,biology.organism_classification ,01 natural sciences ,7. Clean energy ,Astrobiology ,On board ,Atmosphere ,symbols.namesake ,13. Climate action ,Planet ,0103 physical sciences ,symbols ,Titan (rocket family) ,010303 astronomy & astrophysics ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Exosphere - Abstract
Our understanding of the upper atmosphere of unmagnetized bodies such as Mars, Venus and Titan has improved significantly in this decade. Recent observations by in situ and remote sensing instruments on board Mars Express, Venus Express and Cassini have revealed characteristics of the neutral upper atmospheres (exospheres) and of energetic neutral atoms (ENAs). The ENA environment in the vicinity of the bodies is by itself a significant study field, but ENAs are also used as a diagnostic tool for the exosphere and the interaction with the upstream plasmas. Synergy between theoretical and modeling work has also improved considerably. In this review, we summarize the recent progress of our understanding of the neutral environment in the vicinity of unmagnetized planets.
- Published
- 2011
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