Mercury’s Weather-Beaten Surface: Understanding Mercury in the Context of Lunar and Asteroidal Space Weathering Studies

Mercury’s regolith, derived from the crustal bedrock, has been altered by a set of space weathering processes. Before we can interpret crustal composition, it is necessary to understand the nature of these surface alterations. The processes that space weather the surface are the same as those that form Mercury’s exosphere (micrometeoroid flux and solar wind interactions) and are moderated by the local space environment and the presence of a global magnetic field. To comprehend how space weathering acts on Mercury’s regolith, an understanding is needed of how contributing processes act as an interactive system. As no direct information (e.g., from returned samples) is available about how the system of space weathering affects Mercury’s regolith, we use as a basis for comparison the current understanding of these same processes on lunar and asteroidal regoliths as well as laboratory simulations. These comparisons suggest that Mercury’s regolith is overturned more frequently (though the characteristic surface time for a grain is unknown even relative to the lunar case), more than an order of magnitude more melt and vapor per unit time and unit area is produced by impact processes than on the Moon (creating a higher glass content via grain coatings and agglutinates), the degree of surface irradiation is comparable to or greater than that on the Moon, and photon irradiation is up to an order of magnitude greater (creating amorphous grain rims, chemically reducing the upper layers of grains to produce nanometer-scale particles of metallic iron, and depleting surface grains in volatile elements and alkali metals). The processes that chemically reduce the surface and produce nanometer-scale particles on Mercury are suggested to be more effective than similar processes on the Moon. Estimated abundances of nanometer-scale particles can account for Mercury’s dark surface relative to that of the Moon without requiring macroscopic grains of opaque minerals. The presence of nanometer-scale particles may also account for Mercury’s relatively featureless visible–near-infrared reflectance spectra. Characteristics of material returned from asteroid 25143 Itokawa demonstrate that this nanometer-scale material need not be pure iron, raising the possibility that the nanometer-scale material on Mercury may have a composition different from iron metal [such as (Fe,Mg)S]. The expected depletion of volatiles and particularly alkali metals from solar-wind interaction processes are inconsistent with the detection of sodium, potassium, and sulfur within the regolith. One plausible explanation invokes a larger fine fraction (grain size <45 μm) and more radiation-damaged grains than in the lunar surface material to create a regolith that is a more efficient reservoir for these volatiles. By this view the volatile elements detected are present not only within the grain structures, but also as adsorbates within the regolith and deposits on the surfaces of the regolith grains. The comparisons with findings from the Moon and asteroids provide a basis for predicting how compositional modifications induced by space weathering have affected Mercury’s surface composition.     

Characterization of the cataloged Fengyun-1C fragments and their long-term effect on the LEO environment

The intentional breakup of Fengyun-1C on 11 January 2007 created the most severe orbital debris cloud in history. The altitude where the event occurred was probably the worst location for a major breakup in the low Earth orbit (LEO) region, since it was already highly populated with operational satellites and debris generated from previous breakups. The addition of so many fragments not only poses a realistic threat to operational satellites in the region, but also increases the instability (i.e., collision cascade effect) of the debris population there.     

Optimization of moisture content for wheat seedling germination in a cellulose acetate medium for a space flight experiment.

The Porous Tube Plant Nutrient Delivery System (PTPNDS), a hydrophilic, microporous ceramic tube hydroponic system designed for microgravity, will be tested in a middeck locker of the Space Shuttle. The flight experiment will focus on hardware operation and assess its ability to support seed germination and early seedling growth in microgravity. The water controlling system of the PTPNDS hardware has been successfully tested during the parabolic flight of the KC-135. One challenge to the development of the space flight experiment was to devise a method of holding seeds to the cylindrical porous tube. The seed-holder must provide water and air to the seed, absorb water from the porous tube, withstand sterilization, provide a clear path for shoots and roots to emerge, and be composed of flight qualified materials. In preparation for the flight experiment, a wheat seed-holder has been designed that utilizes a cellulose acetate plug to facilitate imbibition and to hold the wheat seeds in contact with the porous tube in the correct orientation during the vibration of launch and the microgravity environment of orbit. Germination and growth studies with wheat at a range of temperatures showed that optimal moisture was 78% (by weight) in the cellulose acetate seed holders. These and other design considerations are discussed.     

An Implementation of the Multidimensional Modified LMS Algorithm

An implementation of the multidimensional modified LMS algorithm is provided from its relationship to a recently developed class of lhyperstable adaptive filters.     

The giant planets and their satellites: Report on the Cospar Symposium,Ottawa, Canada,May 18–21, 1982

A $\text{Symposium on the Giant Planets and Their Satellites}$ was presented in conjunction with the Twenty-fourth Plenary Meeting of the Committee on Space Research. This paper summarizes the talks presented and places the remaining papers of this volume in context.     

Comparison of resonant topologies in high-voltage DC applications

Because of their tolerance of transformer nonidealities, resonant converters are considered to be well-suited to high-voltage applications. The series and parallel resonant topologies, as well as a newly discovered hybrid resonant topology are compared for high-voltage applications. Design criteria which incorporate transformer nonidealities are developed and used in the construction of high voltage prototypes for each topology. It is found that the parallel topology leads to the lowest peak switch current and the most ideal behavior     

A review of long drop tubes as a supplement/alternative to space experiments

The 100 meter high drop tube at the Marshall Space Flight Center has proven to be a viable facility for studies of containerless solidification. Advantages are that experiments are inexpensive and large numbers of specimens can be processed rapidly. It would not be unusual to run ten specimens in a day. Another significant advantage is that the undercooling behavior can be followed with sufficient sensitivity to easily detect the onset of recalescence and subsequent events.Disadvantages are the restrictions on specimen sizes and types of alloys that can be run in a microgravity environment. Practical specimen sizes range between 50 mg and 500 mg depending on the type of furnace being used. Refractory alloys can be processed in a vacuum (about 10^?5 torr) and therefore at microgravity. Non-refractory alloys demand an atmosphere (about 200 torr) to obtain appreciable undercooling before impact at the bottom of the tube. Under these conditions significant g forces result.Because of the present limitations of the 100 meter drop tube, the most definitive work has been done on niobium based alloys. Large amounts of undercooling have been observed routinely and the effects of undercooling on microstructure have been characterized in detail. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy have been used to determine types of phases, amounts of phases, and compositions of phases. It is clear, as would be expected, that the results bear some resemblance to rapid solidification processing by quenching. However, there are dissimilarities due to the uniqueness of solidification by deep undercooling without quenching in long drop tubes and accompanying recalescence effects.     

Perspectives for Strategic Analysis in Advancing Ocean Technology

There is a growing need for the scientist, engineer, and administrator to better understand the kinds of overall, across-the-board planning problems involved in the development of off-shore coastal areas. A recommended approach is to use systems analysis techniques. Principles will be set forth on maintaining and improving the quality of the ocean environment, with considerations of cost in so doing. Each proponent of an aspect of ocean technology usually believes that his field must be greatly enlarged in the near future. Along with these advances there is the likelihood of unnecessary social costs emanating from undesirable modifications of the environment. In making the analysis, an early step is to identify specific needs and appropriate roles. A next step is to lay out alternatives for achieving objectives both within a given organization and external to it. The alternatives may be appraised through their costs and benefits. But how do you make choices between goals when resources are limited? How can we gather the data, accomplish the evaluation, and do the planning that will make rational choices possible? This paper elucidates the problems involved in these kinds of questions and suggests methodology that might lead toward solutions.     

Subgravity states: key to understanding the role of terrestrial gravity in human behaviour

The early orbital flights, although undertaken with considerable confidence, involved some uncertainty because of the impossibility of simulating under terrestrial conditions all of the conditions encountered in space. However, space-flight achievements by both the American astronauts and Soviet cosmonauts have firmly established that man, if appropriately selected, trained, and protected by suitable life-support systems, can perform efficiently for long periods of time in the hostile environment of space. We know that the side effects of vestibular origin pose important problems in space exploration, and the neurophysiological effects of any extensive, rapid adaptation processes in subgravity states have enabled a better understanding of man's compensatory capabilities. With the successful establishment of orbiting research laboratories, an unparalleled opportunity exists that will undoubtedly enable better understanding of the role played by gravity in normal terrestrial activity, not only as it affects our vestibular physiology, but also as it may or may not concern other systems and at different organizational levels in the body.     

The potential feasibility of chlorinic photosynthesis on exoplanets

The modern search for life-bearing exoplanets emphasizes the potential detection of O(2) and O(3) absorption spectra in exoplanetary atmospheres as ideal signatures of biology. However, oxygenic photosynthesis may not arise ubiquitously in exoplanetary biospheres. Alternative evolutionary paths may yield planetary atmospheres tinted with the waste products of other dominant metabolisms, including potentially exotic biochemistries. This paper defines chlorinic photosynthesis (CPS) as biologically mediated photolytic oxidation of aqueous Cl(-) to form halocarbon or dihalogen products, coupled with CO(2) assimilation. This hypothetical metabolism appears to be feasible energetically, physically, and geochemically, and could potentially develop under conditions that approximate the terrestrial Archean. It is hypothesized that an exoplanetary biosphere in which chlorinic photosynthesis dominates primary production would tend to evolve a strongly oxidizing, halogen-enriched atmosphere over geologic time. It is recommended that astronomical observations of exoplanetary outgoing thermal emission spectra consider signs of halogenated chemical species as likely indicators of the presence of a chlorinic biosphere. Planets that favor the evolution of CPS would probably receive equivalent or greater surface UV flux than is produced by the Sun, which would promote stronger abiotic UV photolysis of aqueous halides than occurred during Earth's Archean era and impose stronger evolutionary selection pressures on endemic life to accommodate and utilize halogenated compounds. Ocean-bearing planets of stars with metallicities equivalent to, or greater than, the Sun should especially favor the evolution of chlorinic biospheres because of the higher relative seawater abundances of Cl, Br, and I such planets would tend to host. Directed searches for chlorinic biospheres should probably focus on G0-G2, F, and A spectral class stars that have bulk metallicities of +0.0 Dex or greater.