New Research Shows How Mercury's Crust Formed by Extreme Volcanism

New research suggests that Mercury's surface was shaped by more powerful volcanism than previously thought. The study, titled "The SiO2 abundance on the surfaces of the Moon and Mercury," published in Planetary Research, found that Mercury's surface contains up to 25% less silica than previously estimated. The researchers used the Christiansen Feature (CF), a mid-infrared spectral point that changes with silica content, to map Mercury's SiO2 abundance. They calibrated the method using an Earth-based measurement, yielding a SiO2 abundance of ~37 wt.%.

The study applied the same CF method to the Moon, where it confirmed the bimodal distribution of SiO2 content between lunar highlands and mares. The results agree with samples returned from the Moon and show that the Moon's SiO2 content is consistent with the CF method. This is the first global map of the Moon's SiO2 content. The researchers used this method to map Mercury's SiO2 content, revealing that it is lower than previously thought.

The findings suggest that Mercury's volcanic history is different than previously assumed. The study indicates that the volcanic rocks on Mercury formed from more deeply melted mantle material than previously thought. The results also highlight that Mercury's surface contains less silica, implying a different volcanic history. The research notes that the CF method can be affected by particle size, and studying Mercury in such detail is challenging due to its extreme environment and the need for a massive spacecraft. The study lays the groundwork for future missions, such as BepiColombo, which will use MERTIS to map Mercury's surface composition and thermal profile.

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