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Hot hydrogen in the exosphere of Venus

Abstract

The Ly α measurements of the hydrogen corona of Venus by Mariners 5 (ref. 1) and 10 (ref. 2) have been shown to be consistent with a two temperature component model. Bertaux et al.3 have successfully fitted the Venera 9 exospheric Ly α data with an elevated (500 K) single temperature; however, they also indicated that their data are not inconsistent with a two component model. Various source mechanisms have been proposed to explain the ‘hot’ (1,000 K), energetic component of the hydrogen corona. Here we use recent results from the Pioneer Venus Orbiter (PVO)4 to establish the major sources of this hot hydrogen population.

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Cravens, T., Gombosi, T. & Nagy, A. Hot hydrogen in the exosphere of Venus. Nature 283, 178–180 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1038/283178a0

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