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Science 23 October 1992:
Vol. 258. no. 5082, pp. 640 - 643
DOI: 10.1126/science.258.5082.640
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Articles

Radar Mapping of Mercury: Full-Disk Images and Polar Anomalies

J. K. Harmon 1 and M. A. Slade 2

1 National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center, Arecibo, PR 00613
2 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109

A random-code technique has been used at Arecibo to obtain delay-Doppler radar images of the full disk of Mercury. Anomalously bright features were found at the north and south poles. The north polar feature is oblong (4° by 8°) and offset from the pole. The smaller south polar feature is mostly confined to the floor of the crater Chao Meng-Fu. The polar locations and radar properties of these features indicate that they may be produced by volume scattering in ice. The images also reveal a variety of more subdued reflectivity features ranging in size from hundreds to thousands of kilometers; some of these appear to have an impact origin.

Submitted on May 29, 1992
Accepted on July 20, 1992


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
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Large Longitude Libration of Mercury Reveals a Molten Core.
J. L. Margot, S. J. Peale, R. F. Jurgens, M. A. Slade, and I. V. Holin (2007)
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Mercury Radar Imaging: Evidence for Polar Ice.
M. A. Slade, M. A. Slade, B. J. Butler, and D. O. Muhleman (1992)
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The Thermal Stability of Water Ice at the Poles of Mercury.
D. A. Paige, D. A. Paige, S. E. Wood, and A. R. Vasavada (1992)
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