A5063111225- Astro and Planetary Science
- Planetary Science and Exploration
- Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics
- Ionosphere and magnetosphere dynamics
- Space Exploration and Technology
- Spacecraft Design and Technology
- Laser-induced spectroscopy and plasma
- Geomagnetism and Paleomagnetism Studies
- Scientific Research and Discoveries
- Space exploration and regulation
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Space Satellite Systems and Control
- Ion-surface interactions and analysis
Institute for Space Astrophysics and Planetology
2021-2024
National Institute for Astrophysics
2020-2023
BepiColombo, the joint ESA-JAXA mission on route to planet Mercury, was launched in 2018. After eight successful planetary flybys, spacecraft had its final Mercury flyby 08 Jan 2025. The PICAM (Planetary Ion Camera) instrument, part of SERENA package, operational from 48 hours prior closest encounter, until afterwards. This ion sensor successfully monitored upstream solar wind, as well magnetospheric and ions at vicinity Mercury. Near planet, operated mass spectrometry mode using Hadamard...
The analysis of directional discontinuities (DDs) in the solar wind provides insights for understanding its embedded structures, such as flux ropes and switchbacks (SBs).We aim to investigate occurrence nature DDs observed by BepiColombo (BC) close Mercury’s orbit establish links between magnetic field measurements plasma parameters. Specifically, we assess potential indicators SBs other structures.We use attitude gradient detect combined with minimum variance characterize their...
BepiColombo made its sixth and final swing-by of Mercury on January 8, 2025, crossing from the nightside over north pole to dayside near noon-midnight plane. The Miniature Ion Precipitation Analyzer (MIPA), an ion analyzer in Search for Exospheric Refilling Emitted Natural Abundance (SERENA) instrument suite Planetary Orbiter (MPO), observations throughout swing-by, observing positive ions range 30 eV – 14 keV with a hemispherical field view. This gives unique snapshot state...
The study of the micro-meteoroid environment is relevant to planetary science and space weathering airless bodies, as Moon or Mercury. In fact, meteoroids hit directly surfaces producing impact debris vapor, thus contributing shape exosphere planet. This work focused on modelling Mercury's Ca formation through process Micro-Meteoroids Impact Vaporization (MMIV). MESSENGER/NASA mission provided measurements exosphere, allowing its configuration seasonal variations. observed exhibited very...
Mercury's southern inner magnetosphere is an unexplored region as it was not observed by earlier space missions. In October 2021, BepiColombo mission has passed through this during its first Mercury flyby. Here, we describe the observations of SERENA ion sensors nearby and inside magnetosphere. An intermittent high-energy signal, possibly due to interplanetary magnetic flux rope, been downstream Mercury, together with low energy solar wind. Low ions, satellite outgassing, were detected...
The Na exosphere of Mercury is characterized by the variability emission lines intensity and its distribution in time scales from less than one hour to seasonal variations. While faster variations, accounting for about 10–20% fluctuations are probably linked planetary response solar wind Interplanetary Magnetic Field variability, variations (up 80%) should be explained complex mechanisms involving different surface release processes, loss, source migrations exospheric atoms. Eventually, a...
Context. The first BepiColombo Mercury flyby offered the unique opportunity to simultaneously characterize plasma and magnetic field properties of solar wind in vicinity innermost planet Solar System (0.4 AU). Aims. In this study, we use observations by SERENA/PICAM measurements MPO-MAG source with intermittent features (with a timescale few minutes) at ion energies above 1 keV observed upstream Mercury. Methods. have been investigated means low-resolution (1 s) (64 data. minimum variance...
On March 28, 2022, a particle flux increase was recorded at very different energies by the several instruments on board the BepiColombo (BC) spacecraft. Specifically, an in low-energy ion measured by the SERENA/PICAM instrument and one both proton (1.5 – 20.7 MeV) and electron (>0.5 detected BERM radiation monitor. These observations are consistent with occurrence of Solar Energetic Particle (SEP) event. This study...
The spacecraft radial alignment geometry is useful and intriguing for examining the solar wind’s evolution by observing a plasma parcel at varying helio- centric distances. This study focuses on between Bepi- Colombo Solar Orbiter (SolO) spacecraft. Utilizing particle magnetic field data from both spacecraft, we initially characterize distribution interplanetary topology 0.31 AU BepiColombo 0.67 SolO. We identified same configuration measured locations considering propagation time...
The NASA/MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging) mission provided measurements of Mercury’s Ca exosphere, allowing the study its configuration seasonal variations. observed column densities exhibit a scale height consistent with temperature > 50,000 K, source located mainly on dawn-side planet. It was suggested that originating process is due to MMIV (Micro-Meteoroids Impact Vaporization), but previous estimations were not able justify intensity...
The ground-based observations over years have shown to be a crucial mean study the exosphere of Mercury and investigate complex environment planet its interactions with solar wind embedded interplanetary magnetic field.In fact, Na exospheric pattern map cusp very sensitive IMF-planetary field coupling.Now, era space mission at (MESSENGER in last decade, now BepiColombo), are playing new role complementary observation in-situ, high resolution measurements components, but also ion population...
Surface information derived from exospheric measurements at planetary bodies complements surface mapping provided by dedicated imagers, offering critical insights into release processes, dynamics of various interactions within the environment, erosion, space weathering, and evolution. This study explores a method for deriving elemental composition Mercury's regolith in-situ its neutral exosphere using deep neural networks (DNNs). We present supervised feed-forward DNN architecture—a network...
The ground-based solar telescope THEMIS performed several observations of Mercury's sodium exosphere in years 2011-2013, when the MESSENGER spacecraft was orbiting around planet. Typical two-peak exospheric patterns were frequently identified. In previous studies, some specific cases Na characterized and related to IMF conditions, during extreme cases, occasion CME arrival. present study aims perform a statistical analysis emissions nominal conditions at Mercury, as measured by MESSEGER....
Abstract The emergence of Artificial Intelligence’s Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) as a method for analysis spatial and temporal data gives us new avenue research the processes inherent to planetary exospheres their interaction with environment. Hereby, it will be presented particular study on how in-situ observations elemental composition Mercury’s exosphere may serve an indication surface regolith mineral below, through predictions given by pre-trained DNNs. In this case main driver,...
The variability of Na exosphere Mercury shows time scales from less than one hour to seasonal variations. While the faster variations, accounting about 10-20% fluctuations are probably linked planetary response solar wind and Interplanetary Magnetic Field variability, variations (up 80%) should be explained by complex mechanisms involving different surface release processes, loss, source migrations exospheric atoms. Eventually, a annual cycle can identified. In past, ground-based...
<p><strong>Abstract:</strong></p> <p>The exosphere of Mercury is the result various processes and interactions surface with planetary environment. The external factors acting on planet, such as dust particles, solar wind protons heavy ions, radiation intense heat affect composition dynamics [1]. In turn, in situ exospheric measurements could allow us to derive information complement mapping provided by devoted imagers,...
<p>The study of the micro-meteoroid environment is relevant to planetary science, space weathering airless bodies, as Mercury, and their upper atmospheric chemistry. In this case, meteoroids hit directly surface without any interaction with particles, producing impact debris contributing shape its thin exosphere.</p> <p>This work focused on modelling Mercury’s exosphere formation through process Micro-Meteoroids Impact Vaporization...
The study of the meteoroid environment for particles with masses in 1 μg - 10 g range is relevant to planetary science, space weathering airless bodies and their upper atmospheric chemistry. For case as Mercury, meteoroids hit surfaces directly, producing impact debris contributing shape thin exospheres.Mercury a unique solar system: absence an atmosphere weakness intrinsic magnetic field. Hermean exosphere continuously eroded refilled by interactions between plasma surface, so...
Since mid ‘80s the Na exosphere of Mercury has been investigated by means both ground-based observations and spacecraft measurements, showing a wide range variability from tens minutes up to seasonal variations along planetary orbit. It shown that most common distribution is characterized high latitude double peak probably related solar wind ion precipitation through polar cusps. However, existence single peaked equatorial emission frequently observed too. Generally, it not...