Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 28, 2026

A Study of the Complexation of Mercury(II) with Dicysteinyl Tetrapeptides by Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry
Published on: January 8, 2016
The major-element composition of Mercury's surface from MESSENGER X-ray spectrometry
Larry R Nittler1, Richard D Starr, Shoshana Z Weider
1Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, DC 20015, USA. lnittler@ciw.edu
Abstract:
X-ray fluorescence spectra obtained by the MESSENGER spacecraft orbiting Mercury indicate that the planet's surface differs in composition from those of other terrestrial planets. Relatively high Mg/Si and low Al/Si and Ca/Si ratios rule out a lunarlike feldspar-rich crust. The sulfur abundance is at least 10 times higher than that of the silicate portion of Earth or the Moon, and this observation, together with a low surface Fe abundance, supports the view that Mercury formed from highly reduced precursor materials, perhaps akin to enstatite chondrite meteorites or anhydrous cometary dust particles. Low Fe and Ti abundances do not support the proposal that opaque oxides of these elements contribute substantially to Mercury's low and variable surface reflectance.
Related Concept Videos
Scanning Electron Microscopy
Fundamental Principles
Accelerated...
NMR Spectroscopy: Chemical Shift Overview
For instance, the proton...
High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HRMS)
Mass Spectrum
Chemical Symbols
Some symbols are derived from the common name of the element; others are abbreviations of the name in another language. Most symbols have one or two letters, but three-letter symbols have been used...
Mass Spectrometry: Isotope Effect
