Papers Published

1. Haff, P.K. and Switkowski, Z.E. and Tombrello, T.A., Solar-wind sputtering of the Martian atmosphere, Nature (UK), vol. 272 no. 5656 (1978), pp. 803 - 4 .
   (last updated on 2007/04/10)

   Abstract:
   In the sputtering process an incident particle beam loses part of its energy to recoil motion of target atoms, some of which may escape through a nearby surface. The sputtering yield is defined as the number of atoms ejected per incident particle. In the solar system, sputtering will occur whenever the solar wind, consisting mainly of 1 keV AMU^-1 hydrogen and helium ions, strikes a material body. Wehner et al. (1963) suggested that solar wind-induced sputtering of the lunar surface should be an important cause of erosion; recently, analyses of returned lunar material have been interpreted quantitatively in terms of such solar-wind sputtering. Mars provides another example of the interaction of the solar wind with a planetary body. However, in contrast to the lunar surface, the Martian surface is largely protected from direct solar wind bombardment by its atmosphere. The primarily CO₂ atmosphere is thin by terrestrial standards but still opaque to the solar wind. The authors discuss whether solar-wind sputtering of the Martian atmosphere is a mechanism leading to significant mass loss

   Keywords:
   Mars;planetary atmospheres;solar wind;