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Reports on MESSENGER’s First Mercury Flyby in Science |
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Thursday, 03 July 2008 |
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Photo: Science Magazine
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Research on observations made by the MESSENGER spacecraft during its January 2008 flyby of Mercury is highlighted in a series of eleven papers in this week’s issue of Science. The team’s analyses suggest that volcanoes were involved in the formation of plains on the planet and that Mercury’s magnetic field is actively produced in the planet’s core and not a frozen relic. The group also reports on analyses of the planet’s surface through its reflectance and color variation, surface chemistry, high-resolution imaging at different wavelengths, and altitude measurements. The combination of data from MESSENGER’s first flyby and that of Mariner 10, which first flew by Mercury in 1974, has allowed for the reconstruction of a comprehensive geologic history of the planet.
DTM Director and MESSENGER Principal Investigator Sean Solomon commented, “It’s remarkable that this rich lode of data came from two days of imaging, just 30 minutes of sampling the planet’s magnetosphere and exosphere, and less than ten minutes carrying out altimetry and collecting other data near the time of its closest approach 125 miles to the surface. MESSENGER’s first flyby was a huge success, both in keeping us on target for the rest of our journey and in advancing our progress toward answering the science questions that have motivated this mission.”
For more information, see the 4 July issue of Science or the MESSENGER Web site.
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