The simulation of the exosphere of Venus by a Monte Carlo technique has been extended to provide velocity distribution profiles that can be used with radiative transfer simulation to model the Lyman &agr; emission seen by spacecraft. The line profiles show a narrow core due to the exobase thermal source of hydrogen superimposed on the broad profile of hot hydrogen from charge exchange with hot ions in the nighttime ionosphere. Nightside radial profiles show long tails of upward flowing, escaping atoms. There are some downward and lateral superescape signatures because the charge exchange source extends well above the exobase. At higher altitudes, flattening and even shallow central valleys appear in the transverse profiles. The planetary average escape rate due to charge exchange was found to be 2.8¿107 cm-2 s-1, which is several times larger than escape rates for other candidate mechanisms. |