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         Energetic ions, electrons and UV photons can bombard surfaces
      on outer solar system bodies causing sputtering and chemical change
       in the surface material (radiolysis and photolysis).   This can lead to
       the production of an ambient gas and can determine the reflectance
       properties of these bodies. Here we work closely with a number of
       laboratory groups to accumulate a data base and then we apply these
       results to observations of bodeis in the outer solar system.
 

         Sputtering Theory
                 click   http://dirac.ms.virginia.edu/emb3t/research/research.html
 

         Sputtering of Natural Surfaces

1. Saturn
• "Saturn's E ring and Production of the Neutral Torus", Icarus 149, 384-396 (2001)  (pdf)
• "Satellite Sputtering in Saturn's Magnetosphere", Planet. and Space Sci. 49(3-4), 319-326 (2001) (pdf)

1. Jupiter's Satellites
• Sputtering of Sodium at Europa
• Energetic Ion and Electron Irradiation of Icy Galilean Satellites (pdf)

         Sputtering  Data

• Overview
• Fits to Data
• CO ice
• CO2 ice
• H2O ice
• N2 ice
• O2 ice
• SO2 ice
• Mixed Ices