Surface history of Mercury - Implications for terrestrial planets

Details Surface history of Mercury - Implications for terrestrial planets Surface history of Mercury - Implications for terrestrial planets

Jun 1975

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1975jgr....80.2508m&link_type=abstract

Journal of Geophysical Research, vol. 80, June 10, 1975, p. 2508-2514.

Other

33

Mercury (Planet), Planetary Evolution, Planetary Surfaces, Spaceborne Photography, Cratering, Lunar Evolution, Mariner Venus-Mercury 1973, Solar System, Spacecraft Television, Volcanology

Scientific paper

A plausible surface history of Mercury is presented which is suggested by Mariner 10 television pictures. Five periods are postulated which are delineated by successive variations in the modification of the surface by external and internal processes: accretion and differentiation, terminal heavy bombardment, formation of the Caloris basin, flooding of that basin and other areas, and light cratering accumulated on the smooth plains. Each period is described in detail; the overall history is compared with the surface histories of Venus, Mars, and the moon; and the implications of this history for earth are discussed. It is tentatively concluded that: Mercury is a differentiated planet most likely composed of a large iron core enclosed by a relatively thin silicate layer; heavy surface bombardment occurred about four billion years ago, which probably affected all the inner planets, and was followed by a period of volcanic activity; no surface modifications caused by tectonic, volcanic, or atmospheric processes took place after the volcanic period.

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