When ions of the solar wind hit rocky bodies such as the Moon or Mercury they have a major
effect on the surface of these bodies in a process called space weathering. Furthermore,
sputtered material forms a thin exosphere that can be investigated in order to gain
information about the body's surface. A detailed understanding of the underlying physical
processes can give important insights into planets, moons and asteroids. Establishing
experimental data for these effects is a very important improvement for research on space …