Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 12 July 1974:
Vol. 185. no. 4146, pp. 169 - 179
DOI: 10.1126/science.185.4146.169
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Articles

Mercury's Surface: Preliminary Description and Interpretation from Mariner 10 Pictures

Bruce C. Murray 1, Michael J. S. Belton 2, G. Edward Danielson 3, Merton E. Davies 4, Donald E. Gault 5, Bruce Hapke 6, Brian O'Leary 7, Robert G. Strom 8, Verner Suomi 9, and Newell Trask 10

1 California Institute of Technology, Pasadena 91109
2 Kitt Peak National Observatory, Tucson, Arizona 85726
3 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California 91103
4 Rand Corporation, Santa Monica, California 90401
5 Ames Research Center, Moffet Field, California 94035
6 University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260
7 Hampshire College, Amherst, Massachusetts 01002
8 University of Arizona, Tucson 85726
9 University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706
10 U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia 22092

The surface morphology and optical properties of Mercury resemble those of the moon in remarkable detail and record a very similar sequence of events. Chemical and mineralogical similarity of the outer layers of Mercury and the moon is implied; Mercury is probably a differentiated planet with a large iron-rich core. Differentiation is inferred to have occurred very early. No evidence of atmospheric modification of landforms has been found. Large-scale scarps and ridges unlike lunar or martian features may reflect a unique period of planetary compression near the end of heavy bombardment by small planetesimals.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Redox Conditions on Small Bodies, the Moon and Mars.
M. Wadhwa (2008)
Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry 68, 493-510
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Mercury Radar Imaging: Evidence for Polar Ice.
M. A. Slade, M. A. Slade, B. J. Butler, and D. O. Muhleman (1992)
Science 258, 635-640
   Abstract »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)