What is the official term used to describe Mercury's incredibly thin atmosphere?
Answer
Exosphere
Mercury possesses an atmosphere that is extremely tenuous, so much so that it is officially classified as an exosphere. This exosphere is not retained through conventional means; rather, it is constantly being replenished by atoms blasted directly off the planet's surface. The primary mechanisms responsible for ejecting these atoms into space are intense solar wind bombardment and impacts from micrometeorites striking the surface material.
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