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Imaging Mercury's Polar Deposits during MESSENGER's Low-altitude Campaign
Nancy L Chabot1, Carolyn M Ernst1, David A Paige2
1The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland, USA.
Geophysical Research Letters
|September 26, 2017
Summary
High-resolution images reveal Mercury
Area of Science:
- Planetary Science
- Mercury Exploration
- Astrogeology
Background:
- Mercury's polar regions are known to harbor water ice in permanently shadowed areas.
- Previous observations suggested the presence of other volatiles, but direct evidence was limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze high-resolution images of Mercury's polar deposits obtained during the MESSENGER mission's final year.
- To investigate the composition and origin of materials within permanently shadowed craters.
Main Methods:
- Utilized high-spatial-resolution imagery from MESSENGER's low-altitude campaign.
- Analyzed reflectance properties and surface temperatures of polar deposits in 35 north polar craters.
Main Results:
- Permanently shadowed regions exhibit low-reflectance surfaces with sharp boundaries.
- Deposit brightness correlates with biannual maximum surface temperature variations.
- Evidence supports the presence of multiple volatile organic compounds alongside water ice.
Conclusions:
- Mercury's polar deposits contain a diverse range of volatiles, not just water ice.
- Impact events or micrometeoroid bombardment are plausible delivery mechanisms for these volatiles.
- The observed properties are consistent with volatiles residing in Mercury's cold traps.
