来自MESSENGER中子子谱仪测量的水星北极附近水冰的证据
David J Lawrence1, William C Feldman, John O Goldsten
1The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723, USA. david.j.lawrence@jhuapl.edu
概括
水冰在水星的极点被证实,由MESSENGER航天器探测到. 中子和雷达数据显示,在更薄的表面层下面有一个厚厚的,富含的层,可能是纯水冰.
科学领域:
- 行星科学 行星科学
- 天文地质学 天文地质学
- 太空地质化学空间地质化学
背景情况:
- 水星的北极地区呈现出雷达亮度高的沉积物,表明存在挥发性物质.
- 在水星极点的永久阴影区域被假设是由于极端的温度变化而存在水冰.
研究的目的:
- 用中子谱学数据研究水星极地沉积物的组成和结构.
- 为了确定水星极地存在和丰富的,水冰的指示,在水星的极地.
主要方法:
- 来自MESSENGER航天器的中子光谱仪的表热和快中子流量测量的分析.
- 将中子数据与对水星极地沉积物的现有雷达观测集成.
主要成果:
- 来自水星北极地区的中子流量减少与水冰的存在相一致.
- 中子数据表明,在含量较低的表面层 (10-30厘米厚) 下面有一个富含的层 (>10厘米厚).
- 综合数据最适合一种模型,其中埋藏的层几乎是纯水冰,上层含有<25%的水等价.
结论:
- 这些发现强烈支持在水星永久阴影下的极地存在大量的水冰沉积物.
- 推断的水质量 (2×10^16到10^18克) 是与彗星或小行星的挥发性物质输送一致的.
- 这项研究为太阳系内部水的历史和分布提供了关键的见解.
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