Spectral line profiles for a planetary corona

Abstract

The Lyman and Balmer emissions of a planetary corona depend on the exospheric temperature, the integrated column density of solar-illuminated hydrogen, and the region of phase space occupied by particles. Measurements of the intensity alone are incapable of defining the exosphere unambiguously. Line profiles with high spectral resolution can show whether a nonthermal component of the escaping hydrogen is present and can indicate at what altitude orbits of hydrogen atoms are depleted. It is necessary, however, to plan the observations carefully if they are to be fitted usefully to a model.