Ion sputtering of minerals and glasses: a first step to the simulation of solar wind erosion

Selected rockforming minerals (plagioclase, augite, olivine, ilmenite, silicate and metal phases of the meteorite “Brenham”) as well as silicate and phosphate glasses were irradiated with heavy ions (⁴He⁺, ¹⁴N+, ²⁰Ne⁺, ⁴⁰Ar+, ⁵⁶Fe+, Xe⁺ _nat) in the energy range of 50-130 keV in order to study ion-induced sputtering. Sputtering yields were measured independently by means of multiple beam interferometry and particle track autoradiography.

The theory of sputtering by Sigmund, modified by Smith, was used to convert experimental heavy ion sputtering yields to H⁺- and He⁺-sputtering yields of the same target. Taking into account solar wind irradiation conditions at the lunar surface, an estimate of lunar erosion rates due to solar wind sputtering is given for the targets studied.