Transcript Mercury - LPS.org

Mercury
Monroe
Mercury, the winged footed,
messenger of the Roman Gods.
Side facing Sun
is about 700ºF
Side away from
Sun is about 315ºF
Caloris
impactor was
massive.
Heat shield, for obvious reasons
Photovoltaic cells
Communications antenna
Mercury's rotation
displays a 3:2 tidal
lock with its orbit (59
day rotation, 88 day
period)
Mercury is about a third of the size of Earth, yet its density is comparable to that of Earth.
This indicates that Mercury has a large core roughly the size of Earth's moon or about 75%
of the planet's radius. The core is likely composed of 60 to 70% iron by mass. The core
makes up about 60% of the mass of the planet.
"Weird terrain" best describes this
hilly, lineated region of Mercury.
This area is at the antipodal point
from the large Caloris basin. The
shock wave produced by the
Caloris impact was reflected and
focused to this antipodal point, thus
jumbling the crust and breaking it
into a series of complex blocks.
The area covered is about 100
kilometers (62 miles) on a side.
(Copyright Calvin J. Hamilton; FDS
27370)
The first two transits
of Mercury in the
21st century
occurred in May
2003 and November
2006. The next
transit will occur on
May 9, 2016.
Caloric
impact
basin.
The abundance and length of the
thrust faults indicate that the radius
of Mercury decreased by 1-2
kilometers (.6 - 1.2 miles) after the
solidification and impact cratering of
the surface. This volume change
probably was due to the cooling of
the planet, following the formation of
a metallic core three-fourths the size
of the planet.
There were volcanoes on Mercury, but
since it has been geologically dead for
four billion years, the volcanoes are long
dormant and extinct.
Probably.
The magnetic field around Mercury is about 1% that of Earth. This is probably
because the core has cooled.
What is left of the magnetic field is probably because of the left-over magnetism in the
iron. It is acting as a permanent magnet.
Goals: MESSENGER was designed to map the surface composition, study the magnetic field and interior structure of our
solar system's smallest and innermost planet -- Mercury. It carries eight instruments to study Mercury's polar deposits, core
and magnetic dynamo, crust and mantle, magnetosphere, crustal composition, geologic evolution and exosphere.
Accomplishments: On March 18 2011 (UTC), MESSENGER became the first spacecraft to orbit Mercury.
3 Aug 2004: Launch ~~ 17 Mar 2011: Orbit Insertion at Mercury
Goals: MESSENGER was designed to map the surface composition, study the magnetic field and interior structure of our
solar system's smallest and innermost planet -- Mercury. It carries eight instruments to study Mercury's polar deposits, core
and magnetic dynamo, crust and mantle, magnetosphere, crustal composition, geologic evolution and exosphere.
Accomplishments: On March 18 2011 (UTC), MESSENGER became the first spacecraft to orbit Mercury.
3 Aug 2004: Launch ~~ 17 Mar 2011: Orbit Insertion at Mercury
To reach Mercury orbit, the spacecraft traveled 7.9 billion kilometers (4.9 billion miles). Uranus is 1.8 billion miles
from Sun, and we are only .093 billion (93,000,000) miles from Sun
The spacecraft circled our Sun 15 times before it settles in Mercury orbit.
1.
Mercury's magnetic field is about _______________________ that of Earth.
2.
The weak magnetic field is at least accountable by the
______________________________.
3.
About _______% of the mass of Mercury is the Iron core.
4.
Mercury has been geologically dead for about
___________________________ years.
5.
The scarps on Mercury's surface were probably caused by
____________________________
____________________________________________________________
_______.
6.
Mercury's rotational rate was first measured using
_________________________________.
7.
Why is Mercury never seen at midnight?
________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
_______
____________________________________________________________
_______
1.
Mercury's magnetic field is about _____1%______ that of Earth.
2.
The weak magnetic field is at least accountable by the
______________________________.
3.
About _______% of the mass of Mercury is the Iron core.
4.
Mercury has been geologically dead for about
___________________________ years.
5.
The scarps on Mercury's surface were probably caused by
____________________________
____________________________________________________________
_______.
6.
Mercury's rotational rate was first measured using
_________________________________.
7.
Why is Mercury never seen at midnight?
________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
_______
____________________________________________________________
_______
1.
Mercury's magnetic field is about _____1%______ that of Earth.
2.
The weak magnetic field is at least accountable by the Rotation of the
Planet.
3.
About _______% of the mass of Mercury is the Iron core.
4.
Mercury has been geologically dead for about
___________________________ years.
5.
The scarps on Mercury's surface were probably caused by
____________________________
____________________________________________________________
_______.
6.
Mercury's rotational rate was first measured using
_________________________________.
7.
Why is Mercury never seen at midnight?
________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
_______
____________________________________________________________
_______
1.
Mercury's magnetic field is about _____1%______ that of Earth.
2.
The weak magnetic field is at least accountable by the Rotation of the
Planet.
3.
About 60% of the mass of Mercury is the Iron core.
4.
Mercury has been geologically dead for about
_______________________years.
5.
The scarps on Mercury's surface were probably caused by
____________________________
____________________________________________________________
_______.
6.
Mercury's rotational rate was first measured using
_________________________________.
7.
Why is Mercury never seen at midnight?
________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
_______
____________________________________________________________
_______
1.
Mercury's magnetic field is about _____1%______ that of Earth.
2.
The weak magnetic field is at least accountable by the Rotation of the
Planet.
3.
About 60% of the mass of Mercury is the Iron core.
4.
Mercury has been geologically dead for about 4 billion (4,000,000,000)
years.
5.
The scarps on Mercury's surface were probably caused by
____________________________
____________________________________________________________
_______.
6.
Mercury's rotational rate was first measured using
_________________________________.
7.
Why is Mercury never seen at midnight?
________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
_______
____________________________________________________________
_______
1.
Mercury's magnetic field is about _____1%______ that of Earth.
2.
The weak magnetic field is at least accountable by the Rotation of the
Planet.
3.
About 60% of the mass of Mercury is the Iron core.
4.
Mercury has been geologically dead for about 4 billion (4,000,000,000)
years.
5.
The scarps on Mercury's surface were probably caused by the cooling (and
shrinking/wrinkling of the hardened skin).
6.
Mercury's rotational rate was first measured using
_________________________________.
7.
Why is Mercury never seen at midnight?
________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
_______
____________________________________________________________
_______
8.
What is a scarp? How are they thought to have formed? Page 219.
____________________
1.
Mercury's magnetic field is about _____1%______ that of Earth.
2.
The weak magnetic field is at least accountable by the Rotation of the
Planet.
3.
About 60% of the mass of Mercury is the Iron core.
4.
Mercury has been geologically dead for about 4 billion (4,000,000,000)
years.
5.
The scarps on Mercury's surface were probably caused by the cooling (and
shrinking/wrinkling of the hardened skin).
6.
Mercury's rotational rate was first measured using
_________________________________.
7.
Why is Mercury never seen at midnight?
________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
_______
____________________________________________________________
_______
8.
What is a scarp? How are they thought to have formed? Page 219.
____________________
1.
Mercury's magnetic field is about _____1%______ that of Earth.
2.
The weak magnetic field is at least accountable by the Rotation of the
Planet.
3.
About 60% of the mass of Mercury is the Iron core.
4.
Mercury has been geologically dead for about 4 billion (4,000,000,000)
years.
5.
The scarps on Mercury's surface were probably caused by the cooling (and
shrinking/wrinkling of the hardened skin).
6.
Mercury's rotational rate was first measured using Mercury's rotational rate
was first measured using radar and Doppler.
7.
Why is Mercury never seen at midnight?
________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
_______
____________________________________________________________
_______
8.
What is a scarp? How are they thought to have formed? Page 219.
____________________
1.
Mercury's magnetic field is about _____1%______ that of Earth.
2.
The weak magnetic field is at least accountable by the Rotation of the
Planet.
3.
About 60% of the mass of Mercury is the Iron core.
4.
Mercury has been geologically dead for about 4 billion (4,000,000,000)
years.
5.
The scarps on Mercury's surface were probably caused by the cooling (and
shrinking/wrinkling of the hardened skin).
6.
Mercury's rotational rate was first measured using Mercury's rotational rate
was first measured using radar and Doppler.
7.
Why is Mercury never seen at midnight? ? It is too close to the Sun, and
is with the Sun behind the Earth.
8.
What is a scarp? How are they thought to have formed? Page 219.
____________________
____________________________________________________________
_______
____________________________________________________________
_______
1.
Mercury's magnetic field is about 1% that of Earth.
2.
The weak magnetic field is at least accountable by the Rotation of the
Planet.
3.
About 60% of the mass of Mercury is the Iron core.
4.
Mercury has been geologically dead for about 4 billion (4,000,000,000)
years.
5.
The scarps on Mercury's surface were probably caused by the cooling (and
shrinking/wrinkling of the hardened skin).
6.
Mercury's rotational rate was first measured using radar and Doppler.
7.
Why is Mercury never seen at midnight? It is too close to the Sun, and is
with the Sun behind the Earth.
8.
What is the “Weird Terrain”? How is it thought to have been formed? Page
215. A large impact meteor at the Caloris Impact crater.