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Title: Space Weathering Impact on Solar System Surfaces and Mission Science
Primary Author: John F. Cooper
Secondary Author(s): Steven J. Sturner, Chris Paranicas, Matthew E. Hill, Abigail M. Rymer, Paul D. Cooper, Dan Pascu, Robert E. Johnson, Timothy A. Cassidy, Thomas M. Orlando, Kurt D. Retherford, Nathan A. Schwadron, Ralf I. Kaiser, François Leblanc, Louis J. Lanzerotti, Claudia J. Alexander, Henry B. Garrett, Amanda R. Hendrix, Wing H. Ip
Institution: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Date: September 11, 2009
Summary: Space weathering is the collection of physical processes acting to erode and chemically modify planetary surfaces directly exposed to space environments of planetary magnetospheres, the heliosphere, and the local interstellar environment of the solar system. Space weathering affects the physical and
Panel Selection: Inner Planets: Mercury, Venus, and the Moon. Giant Planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and exoplanets, including rings and magnetic fields, but not their satellites. Satellites: Galilean satellites, Titan, and the other satellites of the giant planets. Primitive Bodies: Asteroids, comets, Phobos, Deimos, Pluto/Charon and other Kuiper belt objects, meteorites, and interplanetary dust.
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These documents have been prepared in coordination with the National Academies of Science in support of the National Academies Planetary Science Decadal Survey. These documents are being made available for information purposes only, and any views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of NASA, JPL, or the California Institute of Technology.