SPACE SCIENCE:

I have developed kinetic theory models to study the behaviour of neutral or ionized planetary atmospheres. The atmosphere of a planet is incompletely bound and some fraction of the atmosphere can escape. This process is very important to our present understanding of the presence or absence of water on the terrestrial planets. There are several very fundamental aspects in this area of research concerning the validity of fluid mechanics in describing the escape of ionized gases from the Earth (the “polar wind”) and from the sun (the “solar wind”). Papers in this area of research include;

Velocity Distributions of energetic atoms in planetary exospheres from dissociative recombination.

Kabin K and Shizgal BD. J. Geophys. Res. (in press, 2002).

The Escape of H and D from Mars and Venus by Energization of Hot Oxygen

Shizgal, BD. J. Geophys. Res., 21, 135-142 (1999).

An analysis of O-H interaction potentials, O-H and O-D collision cross sections, and vibrational states.

Shizgal BD. Planetary & Space Science. 47(1-2), 163-174 (1999)

Merryfield, W.J. and Shizgal, B., "Discrete Velocity Model for an Escaping Single-component Atmosphere”, Planet. Space Sci. 42, 409-419 (1994).

Shizgal, B.D. and Arkos, G.G., “Nonthermal Escape of the Atmosphere of Venus, Earth and Mars”, Rev. Geophys. 34, 483-505 (1996).

Weinert, U. and Shizgal, B., "Radial Dependence of the Density in a Planetary Exosphere", Planet. Space Sci. 35, 199-207 (1987).

Shizgal, B. and Blackmore, R., “A Collisional Kinetic Theory of a Plane Parallel Evaporating Planetary Atmosphere”, Planet. Space Sci. 34, 279-291 (1986).

Fahr, H.J. and Shizgal, B., “Modern Exospheric Theories and their Observational Relevance”, Rev. Geophys. and Space Phys. 21, 75-124 (1983).