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GEOL3045: Planetary Geology

GEOL3045: Planetary Geology. Lysa Chizmadia Mercury From Mariner 10 to Messenger. Closest planet to Sun 5.8 x 10 7 km (0.38 AU) Diameter = 4880 km Smaller than Ganymede & Titan Mass = 3.3 x 10 23 kg Surface T: 90-700 K 3:2 resonance with the Sun 3 rotations for every 2 orbits

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GEOL3045: Planetary Geology

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  1. GEOL3045: Planetary Geology Lysa Chizmadia Mercury From Mariner 10 to Messenger

  2. Closest planet to Sun 5.8 x 107 km (0.38 AU) Diameter = 4880 km Smaller than Ganymede & Titan Mass = 3.3 x 1023 kg Surface T: 90-700 K 3:2 resonance with the Sun 3 rotations for every 2 orbits 88 days and 59 days Orbit highly eccentric Aphelion = 70 million km Perihelion = 46 million km Irregularities in orbit Thought to be Vulcan Supports general theory of relativity Introduction Image from: http://www.nineplanets.org/mercury.html

  3. Similarities Heavily cratered Old surfaces w/ smooth terrains Caloris basin simliar to Lunar Maria Craters near poles in permanent shadow Radar data suggest ice in N pole craters Differences Mercury has much higher density 5.43 vs. 3.34 g/cm3 2nd densest body in solar system Indicates very large Fe core 1800-1900 km ~75% volume w/ very thin silicate crust 500-600 km Very thin atmosphere From solar wind Mercury vs. Moon Image from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_%28planet%29

  4. Mariner 10 Image from: http://www.nineplanets.org/spacecraft.html#marin10 • Launched in 1974 • 3 orbits in 2 years • Mapped 45% of surface • Discovered escarpments • 100’s km high • From surface shrinkage of ~0.1% (~1 km) • Reanalysis suggests recent volcanism • More data needed to confirm

  5. Messenger • Launched in 3 Aug 2004 • Will orbit starting in 2011 • ~March 18th • First fly by January 2007 Previously unseen side Matisse Crater Surface Spectra Images from: http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/gallery/sciencePhotos/view.php?gallery_id=2

  6. Messenger • Designed to answer following questions: • Mercury’s high density • Geological history • Nature of magnetic field • Structure of core • Whether there really is ice are poles • Determine source of tenuous atmosphere Image from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MESSENGER

  7. Summary • Mercury closest to Sun • 3:2 resonance with Sun • Highly eccentric orbit • Confirms general relativity • Similar to Moon • Heavily cratered & smooth terrains • Different from Moon • Tenuous atmosphere • High density  Large FeNi core

  8. Formation of Impact Craters • Three stages: Image from: http://www.chiemgau-impact.com/images/tuetten/image022.jpg Images from: http://cmex.ihmc.us/SiteCat/sitecat2/crater.htm

  9. Formation of Complex Craters Images from: http://cache.eb.com/eb/image?id=96799&rendTypeId=4

  10. Crater Rays • Filamentus, high-albedo material • Rays are ejecta from craters • Cratering exercise Image from: http://www.lpod.org/?page_id=391

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