Space Science Reviews
Volume 5, Number 5

Rasool, S.I., S.H. Gross, and W.E. McGovern, 1966:  565-584

It is the purpose of this paper to review the available information on the temperature, composition, and surface pressure of Mercury’s atmosphere, and to discuss the implications of a non-synchronous rotation of the planet on the atmosphere. We construct several models for the atmosphere which are consistent with the observations in an attempt to determine if they are stable against depletion of the atmosphere by gravtiational escape. The results are discusssed from the standpoint of the origin of the atmosphere.

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