共查询到20条相似文献,搜索用时 62 毫秒
1.
John F. Cavanaugh James C. Smith Xiaoli Sun Arlin E. Bartels Luis Ramos-Izquierdo Danny J. Krebs Jan F. McGarry Raymond Trunzo Anne Marie Novo-Gradac Jamie L. Britt Jerry Karsh Richard B. Katz Alan T. Lukemire Richard Szymkiewicz Daniel L. Berry Joseph P. Swinski Gregory A. Neumann Maria T. Zuber David E. Smith 《Space Science Reviews》2007,131(1-4):451-479
The Mercury Laser Altimeter (MLA) is one of the payload science instruments on the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry,
and Ranging (MESSENGER) mission, which launched on August 3, 2004. The altimeter will measure the round-trip time of flight
of transmitted laser pulses reflected from the surface of the planet that, in combination with the spacecraft orbit position
and pointing data, gives a high-precision measurement of surface topography referenced to Mercury’s center of mass. MLA will
sample the planet’s surface to within a 1-m range error when the line-of-sight range to Mercury is less than 1,200 km under
spacecraft nadir pointing or the slant range is less than 800 km. The altimeter measurements will be used to determine the
planet’s forced physical librations by tracking the motion of large-scale topographic features as a function of time. MLA’s
laser pulse energy monitor and the echo pulse energy estimate will provide an active measurement of the surface reflectivity
at 1,064 nm. This paper describes the instrument design, prelaunch testing, calibration, and results of postlaunch testing. 相似文献
2.
Deborah L. Domingue Patrick L. Koehn Rosemary M. Killen Ann L. Sprague Menelaos Sarantos Andrew F. Cheng Eric T. Bradley William E. McClintock 《Space Science Reviews》2007,131(1-4):161-186
The existence of a surface-bounded exosphere about Mercury was discovered through the Mariner 10 airglow and occultation experiments.
Most of what is currently known or understood about this very tenuous atmosphere, however, comes from ground-based telescopic
observations. It is likely that only a subset of the exospheric constituents have been identified, but their variable abundance
with location, time, and space weather events demonstrate that Mercury’s exosphere is part of a complex system involving the
planet’s surface, magnetosphere, and the surrounding space environment (the solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field).
This paper reviews the current hypotheses and supporting observations concerning the processes that form and support the exosphere.
The outstanding questions and issues regarding Mercury’s exosphere stem from our current lack of knowledge concerning the
surface composition, the magnetic field behavior within the local space environment, and the character of the local space
environment. 相似文献
3.
Maria T. Zuber Oded Aharonson Jonathan M. Aurnou Andrew F. Cheng Steven A. Hauck II Moritz H. Heimpel Gregory A. Neumann Stanton J. Peale Roger J. Phillips David E. Smith Sean C. Solomon Sabine Stanley 《Space Science Reviews》2007,131(1-4):105-132
Current geophysical knowledge of the planet Mercury is based upon observations from ground-based astronomy and flybys of the
Mariner 10 spacecraft, along with theoretical and computational studies. Mercury has the highest uncompressed density of the
terrestrial planets and by implication has a metallic core with a radius approximately 75% of the planetary radius. Mercury’s
spin rate is stably locked at 1.5 times the orbital mean motion. Capture into this state is the natural result of tidal evolution
if this is the only dissipative process affecting the spin, but the capture probability is enhanced if Mercury’s core were
molten at the time of capture. The discovery of Mercury’s magnetic field by Mariner 10 suggests the possibility that the core
is partially molten to the present, a result that is surprising given the planet’s size and a surface crater density indicative
of early cessation of significant volcanic activity. A present-day liquid outer core within Mercury would require either a
core sulfur content of at least several weight percent or an unusual history of heat loss from the planet’s core and silicate
fraction. A crustal remanent contribution to Mercury’s observed magnetic field cannot be ruled out on the basis of current
knowledge. Measurements from the MESSENGER orbiter, in combination with continued ground-based observations, hold the promise
of setting on a firmer basis our understanding of the structure and evolution of Mercury’s interior and the relationship of
that evolution to the planet’s geological history. 相似文献
4.
L. Zelenyi M. Oka H. Malova M. Fujimoto D. Delcourt W. Baumjohann 《Space Science Reviews》2007,132(2-4):593-609
This paper is devoted to the problem of particle acceleration in the closest to the Sun Hermean magnetosphere. We discuss
few available observations of energetic particles in Mercury environment made by Mariner-10 in 1974–1975 during Mercury flyby’s
and by Helios in 1979 upstream of the Hermean bow shock. Typically ions are non-adiabatic in a very dynamic and compact Mercury
magnetosphere, so one may expect that particle acceleration will be very effective. However, it works perfectly for electrons,
but for ions the scale of magnetosphere is so small that it allows their acceleration only up to 100 keV. We present comparative
analysis of the efficiency of various acceleration mechanisms (inductive acceleration, acceleration by the centrifugal impulse
force, stochastic acceleration in a turbulent magnetic fields, wave–particle interactions and bow shock energization) in the
magnetospheres of the Earth and Mercury. Finally we discuss several points which need to be addressed in a future Hermean
missions. 相似文献
5.
Leonid Ksanfomality John Harmon Elena Petrova Nicolas Thomas Igor Veselovsky Johan Warell 《Space Science Reviews》2007,132(2-4):351-397
New planned orbiter missions to Mercury have prompted renewed efforts to investigate the surface of Mercury via ground-based
remote sensing. While the highest resolution instrumentation optical telescopes (e.g., HST) cannot be used at angular distances
close to the Sun, advanced ground-based astronomical techniques and modern analytical and software can be used to obtain the
resolved images of the poorly known or unknown part of Mercury. Our observations of the planet presented here were carried
out in many observatories at morning and evening elongation of the planet. Stacking the acquired images of the hemisphere
of Mercury, which was not observed by the Mariner 10 mission (1974–1975), is presented. Huge features found there change radically
the existing hypothesis that the “continental” character of a surface may be attributed to the whole planet. We present the
observational method, the data analysis approach, the resulting images and obtained properties of the Mercury’s surface. 相似文献
6.
James V. McAdams Robert W. Farquhar Anthony H. Taylor Bobby G. Williams 《Space Science Reviews》2007,131(1-4):219-246
Nearly three decades after the Mariner 10 spacecraft’s third and final targeted Mercury flyby, the 3 August 2004 launch of
the MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging) spacecraft began a new phase of exploration
of the closest planet to our Sun. In order to ensure that the spacecraft had sufficient time for pre-launch testing, the NASA
Discovery Program mission to orbit Mercury experienced launch delays that required utilization of the most complex of three
possible mission profiles in 2004. During the 7.6-year mission, the spacecraft’s trajectory will include six planetary flybys
(including three of Mercury between January 2008 and September 2009), dozens of trajectory-correction maneuvers (TCMs), and
a year in orbit around Mercury. Members of the mission design and navigation teams optimize the spacecraft’s trajectory, specify
TCM requirements, and predict and reconstruct the spacecraft’s orbit. These primary mission design and navigation responsibilities
are closely coordinated with spacecraft design limitations, operational constraints, availability of ground-based tracking
stations, and science objectives. A few days after the spacecraft enters Mercury orbit in mid-March 2011, the orbit will have
an 80° inclination relative to Mercury’s equator, a 200-km minimum altitude over 60°N latitude, and a 12-hour period. In order
to accommodate science goals that require long durations during Mercury orbit without trajectory adjustments, pairs of orbit-correction
maneuvers are scheduled every 88 days (once per Mercury year). 相似文献
7.
M. Fujimoto W. Baumjohann K. Kabin R. Nakamura J. A. Slavin N. Terada L. Zelenyi 《Space Science Reviews》2007,132(2-4):529-550
The small intrinsic magnetic field of Mercury together with its proximity to the Sun makes the Hermean magnetosphere unique in the context of comparative magnetosphere study. The basic framework of the Hermean magnetosphere is believed to be the same as that of Earth. However, there exist various differences which cause new and exciting effects not present at Earth to appear. These new effects may force a substantial correction of our naïve predictions concerning the magnetosphere of Mercury. Here, we outline the predictions based on our experience at Earth and what effects can drastically change this picture. The basic structure of the magnetosphere is likely to be understood by scaling the Earth’s case but its dynamic aspect is likely modified significantly by the smallness of the Hermean magnetosphere and the substantial presence of heavy ions coming from the planet’s surface. 相似文献
8.
Tim Van Hoolst Frank Sohl Igor Holin Olivier Verhoeven Véronique Dehant Tilman Spohn 《Space Science Reviews》2007,132(2-4):203-227
This review addresses the deep interior structure of Mercury. Mercury is thought to consist of similar chemical reservoirs
(core, mantle, crust) as the other terrestrial planets, but with a relatively much larger core. Constraints on Mercury’s composition
and internal structure are reviewed, and possible interior models are described. Large advances in our knowledge of Mercury’s
interior are not only expected from imaging of characteristic surface features but particularly from geodetic observations
of the gravity field, the rotation, and the tides of Mercury. The low-degree gravity field of Mercury gives information on
the differences of the principal moments of inertia, which are a measure of the mass concentration toward the center of the
planet. Mercury’s unique rotation presents several clues to the deep interior. From observations of the mean obliquity of
Mercury and the low-degree gravity data, the moments of inertia can be obtained, and deviations from the mean rotation speed
(librations) offer an exciting possibility to determine the moment of inertia of the mantle. Due to its proximity to the Sun,
Mercury has the largest tides of the Solar System planets. Since tides are sensitive to the existence and location of liquid
layers, tidal observations are ideally suited to study the physical state and size of the core of Mercury. 相似文献
9.
Dipak K. Srinivasan Mark E. Perry Karl B. Fielhauer David E. Smith Maria T. Zuber 《Space Science Reviews》2007,131(1-4):557-571
The MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) Radio Frequency (RF) Telecommunications Subsystem
is used to send commands to the spacecraft, transmit information on the state of the spacecraft and science-related observations,
and assist in navigating the spacecraft to and in orbit about Mercury by providing precise observations of the spacecraft’s
Doppler velocity and range in the line of sight to Earth. The RF signal is transmitted and received at X-band frequencies
(7.2 GHz uplink, 8.4 GHz downlink) by the NASA Deep Space Network. The tracking data from MESSENGER will contribute significantly
to achieving the mission’s geophysics objectives. The RF subsystem, as the radio science instrument, will help determine Mercury’s
gravitational field and, in conjunction with the Mercury Laser Altimeter instrument, help determine the topography of the
planet. Further analysis of the data will improve the knowledge of the planet’s orbital ephemeris and rotation state. The
rotational state determination includes refined measurements of the obliquity and forced physical libration, which are necessary
to characterize Mercury’s core state. 相似文献
10.
André Balogh Réjean Grard Sean C. Solomon Rita Schulz Yves Langevin Yasumasa Kasaba Masaki Fujimoto 《Space Science Reviews》2007,132(2-4):611-645
Mercury is a very difficult planet to observe from the Earth, and space missions that target Mercury are essential for a comprehensive
understanding of the planet. At the same time, it is also difficult to orbit because it is deep inside the Sun’s gravitational
well. Only one mission has visited Mercury; that was Mariner 10 in the 1970s. This paper provides a brief history of Mariner
10 and the numerous imaginative but unsuccessful mission proposals since the 1970s for another Mercury mission. In the late
1990s, two missions—MESSENGER and BepiColombo—received the go-ahead; MESSENGER is on its way to its first encounter with Mercury
in January 2008. The history, scientific objectives, mission designs, and payloads of both these missions are described in
detail. 相似文献
11.
Sean C. Solomon Ralph L. McNutt Jr. Robert E. Gold Deborah L. Domingue 《Space Science Reviews》2007,131(1-4):3-39
The MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft, launched on August 3, 2004, is nearing the halfway point on its voyage to become the first probe to orbit the planet Mercury. The mission, spacecraft, and payload are designed to answer six fundamental questions regarding the innermost planet: (1) What planetary formational processes led to Mercury’s high ratio of metal to silicate? (2) What is the geological history of Mercury? (3) What are the nature and origin of Mercury’s magnetic field? (4) What are the structure and state of Mercury’s core? (5) What are the radar-reflective materials at Mercury’s poles? (6) What are the important volatile species and their sources and sinks near Mercury? The mission has focused to date on commissioning the spacecraft and science payload as well as planning for flyby and orbital operations. The second Venus flyby (June 2007) will complete final rehearsals for the Mercury flyby operations in January and October 2008 and September 2009. Those flybys will provide opportunities to image the hemisphere of the planet not seen by Mariner 10, obtain high-resolution spectral observations with which to map surface mineralogy and assay the exosphere, and carry out an exploration of the magnetic field and energetic particle distribution in the near-Mercury environment. The orbital phase, beginning on March 18, 2011, is a one-year-long, near-polar-orbital observational campaign that will address all mission goals. The orbital phase will complete global imaging, yield detailed surface compositional and topographic data over the northern hemisphere, determine the geometry of Mercury’s internal magnetic field and magnetosphere, ascertain the radius and physical state of Mercury’s outer core, assess the nature of Mercury’s polar deposits, and inventory exospheric neutrals and magnetospheric charged particle species over a range of dynamic conditions. Answering the questions that have guided the MESSENGER mission will expand our understanding of the formation and evolution of the terrestrial planets as a family. 相似文献
12.
John O. Goldsten Edgar A. Rhodes William V. Boynton William C. Feldman David J. Lawrence Jacob I. Trombka David M. Smith Larry G. Evans Jack White Norman W. Madden Peter C. Berg Graham A. Murphy Reid S. Gurnee Kim Strohbehn Bruce D. Williams Edward D. Schaefer Christopher A. Monaco Christopher P. Cork J. Del Eckels Wayne O. Miller Morgan T. Burks Lisle B. Hagler Steve J. DeTeresa Monika C. Witte 《Space Science Reviews》2007,131(1-4):339-391
A Gamma-Ray and Neutron Spectrometer (GRNS) instrument has been developed as part of the science payload for NASA’s Discovery
Program mission to the planet Mercury. Mercury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) launched
successfully in 2004 and will journey more than six years before entering Mercury orbit to begin a one-year investigation.
The GRNS instrument forms part of the geochemistry investigation and will yield maps of the elemental composition of the planet
surface. Major elements include H, O, Na, Mg, Si, Ca, Ti, Fe, K, and Th. The Gamma-Ray Spectrometer (GRS) portion detects
gamma-ray emissions in the 0.1- to 10-MeV energy range and achieves an energy resolution of 3.5 keV full-width at half-maximum
for 60Co (1332 keV). It is the first interplanetary use of a mechanically cooled Ge detector. Special construction techniques provide
the necessary thermal isolation to maintain the sensor’s encapsulated detector at cryogenic temperatures (90 K) despite the
intense thermal environment. Given the mission constraints, the GRS sensor is necessarily body-mounted to the spacecraft,
but the outer housing is equipped with an anticoincidence shield to reduce the background from charged particles. The Neutron
Spectrometer (NS) sensor consists of a sandwich of three scintillation detectors working in concert to measure the flux of
ejected neutrons in three energy ranges from thermal to ∼7 MeV. The NS is particularly sensitive to H content and will help
resolve the composition of Mercury’s polar deposits. This paper provides an overview of the Gamma-Ray and Neutron Spectrometer
and describes its science and measurement objectives, the design and operation of the instrument, the ground calibration effort,
and a look at some early in-flight data. 相似文献
13.
14.
Doris Breuer Steven A. Hauck II Monika Buske Martin Pauer Tilman Spohn 《Space Science Reviews》2007,132(2-4):229-260
The interior evolution of Mercury—the innermost planet in the solar system, with its exceptional high density—is poorly known.
Our current knowledge of Mercury is based on observations from Mariner 10’s three flybys. That knowledge includes the important
discoveries of a weak, active magnetic field and a system of lobate scarps that suggests limited radial contraction of the
planet during the last 4 billion years. We review existing models of Mercury’s interior evolution and further present new
2D and 3D convection models that consider both a strongly temperature-dependent viscosity and core cooling. These studies
provide a framework for understanding the basic characteristics of the planet’s internal evolution as well as the role of
the amount and distribution of radiogenic heat production, mantle viscosity, and sulfur content of the core have had on the
history of Mercury’s interior.
The existence of a dynamo-generated magnetic field suggests a growing inner core, as model calculations show that a thermally
driven dynamo for Mercury is unlikely. Thermal evolution models suggest a range of possible upper limits for the sulfur content
in the core. For large sulfur contents the model cores would be entirely fluid. The observation of limited planetary contraction
(∼1–2 km)—if confirmed by future missions—may provide a lower limit for the core sulfur content. For smaller sulfur contents,
the planetary contraction obtained after the end of the heavy bombardment due to inner core growth is larger than the observed
value. Due to the present poor knowledge of various parameters, for example, the mantle rheology, the thermal conductivity
of mantle and crust, and the amount and distribution of radiogenic heat production, it is not possible to constrain the core
sulfur content nor the present state of the mantle. Therefore, it is difficult to robustly predict whether or not the mantle
is conductive or in the convective regime. For instance, in the case of very inefficient planetary cooling—for example, as
a consequence of a strong thermal insulation by a low conductivity crust and a stiff Newtonian mantle rheology—the predicted
sulfur content can be as low as 1 wt% to match current estimates of planetary contraction, making deep mantle convection likely.
Efficient cooling—for example, caused by the growth of a crust strongly in enriched in radiogenic elements—requires more than
6.5 wt% S. These latter models also predict a transition from a convective to a conductive mantle during the planet’s history.
Data from future missions to Mercury will aid considerably our understanding of the evolution of its interior. 相似文献
15.
Planetary upper atmospheres-coexisting thermospheres and ionospheres-form an important boundary between the planet itself
and interplanetary space. The solar wind and radiation from the Sun may react with the upper atmosphere directly, as in the
case of Venus. If the planet has a magnetic field, however, such interactions are mediated by the magnetosphere, as in the
case of the Earth. All of the Solar System’s giant planets have magnetic fields of various strengths, and interactions with
their space environments are thus mediated by their respective magnetospheres. This article concentrates on the consequences
of magnetosphere-atmosphere interactions for the physical conditions of the thermosphere and ionosphere. In particular, we
wish to highlight important new considerations concerning the energy balance in the upper atmosphere of Jupiter and Saturn,
and the role that coupling between the ionosphere and thermosphere may play in establishing and regulating energy flows and
temperatures there. This article also compares the auroral activity of Earth, Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus. The Earth’s behaviour
is controlled, externally, by the solar wind. But Jupiter’s is determined by the co-rotation or otherwise of the equatorial
plasmasheet, which is internal to the planet’s magnetosphere. Despite being rapid rotators, like Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus
appear to have auroral emissions that are mainly under solar (wind) control. For Jupiter and Saturn, it is shown that Joule
heating and “frictional” effects, due to ion-neutral coupling can produce large amounts of energy that may account for their
high exospheric temperatures. 相似文献
16.
MESSENGER: Exploring Mercury’s Magnetosphere 总被引:1,自引:0,他引:1
James A. Slavin Stamatios M. Krimigis Mario H. Acuña Brian J. Anderson Daniel N. Baker Patrick L. Koehn Haje Korth Stefano Livi Barry H. Mauk Sean C. Solomon Thomas H. Zurbuchen 《Space Science Reviews》2007,131(1-4):133-160
The MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) mission to Mercury offers our first opportunity
to explore this planet’s miniature magnetosphere since the brief flybys of Mariner 10. Mercury’s magnetosphere is unique in
many respects. The magnetosphere of Mercury is among the smallest in the solar system; its magnetic field typically stands
off the solar wind only ∼1000 to 2000 km above the surface. For this reason there are no closed drift paths for energetic
particles and, hence, no radiation belts. Magnetic reconnection at the dayside magnetopause may erode the subsolar magnetosphere,
allowing solar wind ions to impact directly the regolith. Inductive currents in Mercury’s interior may act to modify the solar
wind interaction by resisting changes due to solar wind pressure variations. Indeed, observations of these induction effects
may be an important source of information on the state of Mercury’s interior. In addition, Mercury’s magnetosphere is the
only one with its defining magnetic flux tubes rooted beneath the solid surface as opposed to an atmosphere with a conductive
ionospheric layer. This lack of an ionosphere is probably the underlying reason for the brevity of the very intense, but short-lived,
∼1–2 min, substorm-like energetic particle events observed by Mariner 10 during its first traversal of Mercury’s magnetic
tail. Because of Mercury’s proximity to the sun, 0.3–0.5 AU, this magnetosphere experiences the most extreme driving forces
in the solar system. All of these factors are expected to produce complicated interactions involving the exchange and recycling
of neutrals and ions among the solar wind, magnetosphere, and regolith. The electrodynamics of Mercury’s magnetosphere are
expected to be equally complex, with strong forcing by the solar wind, magnetic reconnection, and pick-up of planetary ions
all playing roles in the generation of field-aligned electric currents. However, these field-aligned currents do not close
in an ionosphere, but in some other manner. In addition to the insights into magnetospheric physics offered by study of the
solar wind–Mercury system, quantitative specification of the “external” magnetic field generated by magnetospheric currents
is necessary for accurate determination of the strength and multi-polar decomposition of Mercury’s intrinsic magnetic field.
MESSENGER’s highly capable instrumentation and broad orbital coverage will greatly advance our understanding of both the origin
of Mercury’s magnetic field and the acceleration of charged particles in small magnetospheres. In this article, we review
what is known about Mercury’s magnetosphere and describe the MESSENGER science team’s strategy for obtaining answers to the
outstanding science questions surrounding the interaction of the solar wind with Mercury and its small, but dynamic, magnetosphere. 相似文献
17.
The Geology of Mercury: The View Prior to the MESSENGER Mission 总被引:1,自引:0,他引:1
James W. Head Clark R. Chapman Deborah L. Domingue S. Edward Hawkins III William E. McClintock Scott L. Murchie Louise M. Prockter Mark S. Robinson Robert G. Strom Thomas R. Watters 《Space Science Reviews》2007,131(1-4):41-84
Mariner 10 and Earth-based observations have revealed Mercury, the innermost of the terrestrial planetary bodies, to be an
exciting laboratory for the study of Solar System geological processes. Mercury is characterized by a lunar-like surface,
a global magnetic field, and an interior dominated by an iron core having a radius at least three-quarters of the radius of
the planet. The 45% of the surface imaged by Mariner 10 reveals some distinctive differences from the Moon, however, with
major contractional fault scarps and huge expanses of moderate-albedo Cayley-like smooth plains of uncertain origin. Our current
image coverage of Mercury is comparable to that of telescopic photographs of the Earth’s Moon prior to the launch of Sputnik
in 1957. We have no photographic images of one-half of the surface, the resolution of the images we do have is generally poor
(∼1 km), and as with many lunar telescopic photographs, much of the available surface of Mercury is distorted by foreshortening
due to viewing geometry, or poorly suited for geological analysis and impact-crater counting for age determinations because
of high-Sun illumination conditions. Currently available topographic information is also very limited. Nonetheless, Mercury
is a geological laboratory that represents (1) a planet where the presence of a huge iron core may be due to impact stripping
of the crust and upper mantle, or alternatively, where formation of a huge core may have resulted in a residual mantle and
crust of potentially unusual composition and structure; (2) a planet with an internal chemical and mechanical structure that
provides new insights into planetary thermal history and the relative roles of conduction and convection in planetary heat
loss; (3) a one-tectonic-plate planet where constraints on major interior processes can be deduced from the geology of the
global tectonic system; (4) a planet where volcanic resurfacing may not have played a significant role in planetary history
and internally generated volcanic resurfacing may have ceased at ∼3.8 Ga; (5) a planet where impact craters can be used to
disentangle the fundamental roles of gravity and mean impactor velocity in determining impact crater morphology and morphometry;
(6) an environment where global impact crater counts can test fundamental concepts of the distribution of impactor populations
in space and time; (7) an extreme environment in which highly radar-reflective polar deposits, much more extensive than those
on the Moon, can be better understood; (8) an extreme environment in which the basic processes of space weathering can be
further deduced; and (9) a potential end-member in terrestrial planetary body geological evolution in which the relationships
of internal and surface evolution can be clearly assessed from both a tectonic and volcanic point of view. In the half-century
since the launch of Sputnik, more than 30 spacecraft have been sent to the Moon, yet only now is a second spacecraft en route
to Mercury. The MESSENGER mission will address key questions about the geologic evolution of Mercury; the depth and breadth
of the MESSENGER data will permit the confident reconstruction of the geological history and thermal evolution of Mercury
using new imaging, topography, chemistry, mineralogy, gravity, magnetic, and environmental data. 相似文献
18.
A. Sprague J. Warell G. Cremonese Y. Langevin J. Helbert P. Wurz I. Veselovsky S. Orsini A. Milillo 《Space Science Reviews》2007,132(2-4):399-431
Mercury’s surface is thought to be covered with highly space-weathered silicate material. The regolith is composed of material
accumulated during the time of planetary formation, and subsequently from comets, meteorites, and the Sun. Ground-based observations
indicate a heterogeneous surface composition with SiO2 content ranging from 39 to 57 wt%. Visible and near-infrared spectra, multi-spectral imaging, and modeling indicate expanses
of feldspathic, well-comminuted surface with some smooth regions that are likely to be magmatic in origin with many widely
distributed crystalline impact ejecta rays and blocky deposits. Pyroxene spectral signatures have been recorded at four locations.
Although highly space weathered, there is little evidence for the conversion of FeO to nanophase metallic iron particles (npFe0), or “iron blebs,” as at the Moon. Near- and mid-infrared spectroscopy indicate clino- and ortho-pyroxene are present at
different locations. There is some evidence for no- or low-iron alkali basalts and feldspathoids. All evidence, including
microwave studies, point to a low iron and low titanium surface. There may be a link between the surface and the exosphere
that may be diagnostic of the true crustal composition of Mercury. A structural global dichotomy exists with a huge basin
on the side not imaged by Mariner 10. This paper briefly describes the implications for this dichotomy on the magnetic field
and the 3 : 2 spin : orbit coupling. All other points made above are detailed here with an account of the observations, the
analysis of the observations, and theoretical modeling, where appropriate, that supports the stated conclusions. 相似文献
19.
Rosemary Killen Gabrielle Cremonese Helmut Lammer Stefano Orsini Andrew E. Potter Ann L. Sprague Peter Wurz Maxim L. Khodachenko Herbert I. M. Lichtenegger Anna Milillo Alessandro Mura 《Space Science Reviews》2007,132(2-4):433-509
It has been speculated that the composition of the exosphere is related to the composition of Mercury’s crustal materials.
If this relationship is true, then inferences regarding the bulk chemistry of the planet might be made from a thorough exospheric
study. The most vexing of all unsolved problems is the uncertainty in the source of each component. Historically, it has been
believed that H and He come primarily from the solar wind (Goldstein, B.E., et al. in J. Geophys. Res. 86:5485–5499, 1981), Na and K come from volatilized materials partitioned between Mercury’s crust and meteoritic impactors (Hunten, D.M., et
al. in Mercury, pp. 562–612, 1988; Morgan, T.H., et al. in Icarus 74:156–170, 1988; Killen, R.M., et al. in Icarus 171:1–19, 2004b). The processes that eject atoms and molecules into the exosphere of Mercury are generally considered to be thermal vaporization,
photon-stimulated desorption (PSD), impact vaporization, and ion sputtering. Each of these processes has its own temporal
and spatial dependence. The exosphere is strongly influenced by Mercury’s highly elliptical orbit and rapid orbital speed.
As a consequence the surface undergoes large fluctuations in temperature and experiences differences of insolation with longitude.
Because there is no inclination of the orbital axis, there are regions at extreme northern and southern latitudes that are
never exposed to direct sunlight. These cold regions may serve as traps for exospheric constituents or for material that is
brought in by exogenic sources such as comets, interplanetary dust, or solar wind, etc. The source rates are dependent not
only on temperature and composition of the surface, but also on such factors as porosity, mineralogy, and space weathering.
They are not independent of each other. For instance, ion impact may create crystal defects which enhance diffusion of atoms
through the grain, and in turn enhance the efficiency of PSD. The impact flux and the size distribution of impactors affects
regolith turnover rates (gardening) and the depth dependence of vaporization rates. Gardening serves both as a sink for material
and as a source for fresh material. This is extremely important in bounding the rates of the other processes. Space weathering
effects, such as the creation of needle-like structures in the regolith, will limit the ejection of atoms by such processes
as PSD and ion-sputtering. Therefore, the use of laboratory rates in estimates of exospheric source rates can be helpful but
also are often inaccurate if not modified appropriately. Porosity effects may reduce yields by a factor of three (Cassidy,
T.A., and Johnson, R.E. in Icarus 176:499–507, 2005). The loss of all atomic species from Mercury’s exosphere other than H and He must be by non-thermal escape. The relative
rates of photo-ionization, loss of photo-ions to the solar wind, entrainment of ions in the magnetosphere and direct impact
of photo-ions to the surface are an area of active research. These source and loss processes will be discussed in this chapter. 相似文献
20.
The Mercury Atmospheric and Surface Composition Spectrometer (MASCS) is one of seven science instruments onboard the MErcury
Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft en route to the planet Mercury. MASCS consists
of a small Cassegrain telescope with 257-mm effective focal length and a 50-mm aperture that simultaneously feeds an UltraViolet
and Visible Spectrometer (UVVS) and a Visible and InfraRed Spectrograph (VIRS). UVVS is a 125-mm focal length, scanning grating,
Ebert-Fastie monochromator equipped with three photomultiplier tube detectors that cover far ultraviolet (115–180 nm), middle
ultraviolet (160–320 nm), and visible (250–600 nm) wavelengths with an average 0.6-nm spectral resolution. It will measure
altitude profiles of known species in order to determine the composition and structure of Mercury’s exosphere and its variability
and will search for previously undetected exospheric species. VIRS is a 210-mm focal length, fixed concave grating spectrograph
equipped with a beam splitter that simultaneously disperses the spectrum onto a 512-element silicon visible photodiode array
(300–1050 nm) and a 256-element indium-gallium-arsenide infrared photodiode array 850–1,450 nm. It will obtain maps of surface
reflectance spectra with a 5-nm resolution in the 300–1,450 nm wavelength range that will be used to investigate mineralogical
composition on spatial scales of 5 km. UVVS will also observe the surface in the far and middle ultraviolet at a 10-km or
smaller spatial scale. This paper summarizes the science rationale and measurement objectives for MASCS, discusses its detailed
design and its calibration requirements, and briefly outlines observation strategies for its use during MESSENGER orbital
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