The loss of molecules in the high energy tail of the Maxwell distribution from the top of an atmosphere. Jeans formula is only valid if the escape is a negligible perturbation on the upper atmosphere, because it selectively depletes the high-velocity tail of the Maxwell distribution. This can reduce the flux by a factor of two in some cases. Jeans escape is important only for low-mass gases such as hydrogen, and to a lesser degree, helium.
Escape Velocity, Maxwell Distribution
