Lunar exosphere dynamics at the north pole following Perseid 2009 meteoroid impacts

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Berezhnoy, Alexey A., Gritsevich, Maria, Feoktistova, Ekaterina A., Nissinen, Markku, Pakhomov, Yuri V., Shevchenko, Vladislav V.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Berezhnoy, Alexey A.
Gritsevich, Maria
Feoktistova, Ekaterina A.
Nissinen, Markku
Pakhomov, Yuri V.
Shevchenko, Vladislav V.
author_facet Berezhnoy, Alexey A.
Gritsevich, Maria
Feoktistova, Ekaterina A.
Nissinen, Markku
Pakhomov, Yuri V.
Shevchenko, Vladislav V.
contents Observations of the lunar exosphere provide valuable insights into dynamic processes affecting the Moon, such as meteoroid bombardment. The Chamberlain model was employed to estimate the zenith column density and temperature of Na atoms on August 13/14, 2009, after the peak of the Perseid meteor shower. Additionally, the column density and temperature of Na atoms delivered to the lunar exosphere by gradual processes during the peak on August 12/13, 2009, were estimated. Expected ratios of line-of-sight column densities of Na atoms at three observed altitudes on August 12/13, 2009, were obtained using the Chamberlain model and Monte Carlo simulations. The heightened intensities of Na emission lines on August 12/13, 2009, are attributed to the onset of the third short-term peak in Perseid activity predicted by celestial mechanics. The best agreement between observations and theoretical models was achieved with a theoretical temperature of 3000 K for impact-produced Na atoms. This third peak of Perseids began between 23:29 and 23:41 UT on August 12, 2009, lasting approximately 83 minutes, with a mass flux attributed to the Perseids ranging between 1.6 x 10^-16 and 5 x 10^-16 g cm^-2 s^-1. Additionally, depletion of Li content compared to Na content in the lunar exosphere was detected. A model predicting Perseid meteoroid stream activity on the Moon was developed and compared with spectral observations of the lunar exosphere. By modeling 25,000 years of comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle's orbits, 175 cometary trails likely to have generated meteoroids near Earth and the Moon during the Perseid 2009 meteor shower were identified. Our results reveal annual maxima inducing filament trail structures, one of which closely aligned with the observed peak of increased Na content in the lunar exosphere.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2507_17223
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Lunar exosphere dynamics at the north pole following Perseid 2009 meteoroid impacts
Berezhnoy, Alexey A.
Gritsevich, Maria
Feoktistova, Ekaterina A.
Nissinen, Markku
Pakhomov, Yuri V.
Shevchenko, Vladislav V.
Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
Observations of the lunar exosphere provide valuable insights into dynamic processes affecting the Moon, such as meteoroid bombardment. The Chamberlain model was employed to estimate the zenith column density and temperature of Na atoms on August 13/14, 2009, after the peak of the Perseid meteor shower. Additionally, the column density and temperature of Na atoms delivered to the lunar exosphere by gradual processes during the peak on August 12/13, 2009, were estimated. Expected ratios of line-of-sight column densities of Na atoms at three observed altitudes on August 12/13, 2009, were obtained using the Chamberlain model and Monte Carlo simulations. The heightened intensities of Na emission lines on August 12/13, 2009, are attributed to the onset of the third short-term peak in Perseid activity predicted by celestial mechanics. The best agreement between observations and theoretical models was achieved with a theoretical temperature of 3000 K for impact-produced Na atoms. This third peak of Perseids began between 23:29 and 23:41 UT on August 12, 2009, lasting approximately 83 minutes, with a mass flux attributed to the Perseids ranging between 1.6 x 10^-16 and 5 x 10^-16 g cm^-2 s^-1. Additionally, depletion of Li content compared to Na content in the lunar exosphere was detected. A model predicting Perseid meteoroid stream activity on the Moon was developed and compared with spectral observations of the lunar exosphere. By modeling 25,000 years of comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle's orbits, 175 cometary trails likely to have generated meteoroids near Earth and the Moon during the Perseid 2009 meteor shower were identified. Our results reveal annual maxima inducing filament trail structures, one of which closely aligned with the observed peak of increased Na content in the lunar exosphere.
title Lunar exosphere dynamics at the north pole following Perseid 2009 meteoroid impacts
topic Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.17223