Learn about Mercury's internal structure, geology and surface, magnetosphere, and orbit

Learn about Mercury's internal structure, geology and surface, magnetosphere, and orbit

Let's look at the internal structure, geology, and surface of Mercury, which is the closest and smallest planet to the Sun in the solar system, has many craters similar to the moon, and has huge cliffs that form when the planet cools and contracts.

 

Mercury internal structure

Mercury is one of four rocky or hard planets. It has a rocky body like Earth. The planet is the smallest of the four at 4,879 km in diameter at the equator. Itis composed of about 70% metallic elements and 30% silicates. The density of this planet is the second largest in the entire solar system, with a value of 5430 kg/m³, which is slightly less than the density of Earth. The density of mercury can be used to infer details of its internal structure. Earth's high density is mainly explained by gravitational compression, but Mercury is much smaller and its inner region is uncompressed. So, to account for this high density, the nucleus must occupy a large portion of the planet, and it must also be rich in iron and is a dense material. Geologists estimate that Mercury's core makes up 42% of its total volume. This core would have been partially melted, which would explain the planet's magnetic field.

 

The mantle surrounding the core is about 600 km thick. A common belief among experts is that in the early days of Mercury, objects several kilometers in diameter collided and melted most of the original mantle, creating a relatively thin mantle compared to its large core.

 

Mercury geology and surface

Mercury's surface, like the lunar surface, is characterized by numerous meteorite impacts ranging from several meters to thousands of kilometers. Some craters are relatively recent, several million years old, and feature central peaks. The oldest crater appears to have undergone very strong erosion, probably due to large changes in temperature, ranging from 623K (350°C) during the day to 103K (-170°C) at night.

 

Like the moon, Mercury appears to have been violently bombed by a large meteorite about 400,000,000 (4 billion) years ago. During this crater formation period, Mercury shocked its entire surface, catalyzed by the fact that there is virtually no atmosphere to disintegrate or stop many of these rocks. During this period, Mercury was volcanic, forming lava-laden basins or potholes inside the planet, and plains similar to the lunar seas or Maria. Evidence of this was the discovery of a volcanic potential by the MESSENGER probe.

 

The plains or plains of Mercury have two different ages. The Young Plains are less cratered and probably formed when lava was buried in the old terrain. Characteristic of this planet's surface are numerous compression folds across the plains. It is thought that the surface of the planet began to warp as the planet's interior cooled and contracted. These folds can be seen above the craters and plains, indicating that they are much younger. 9 Mercury's surface is greatly curved due to the tidal forces exerted by the sun. Mercury's tidal force is 17% stronger than that of the Moon on Earth.

 

Notable in Mercury's geology is the Caloris Basin, an impact crater, one of the largest meteorite depressions in the entire solar system. The diameter of this geological layer is approximately 1,550 km.It contains formations of unknown origin not previously seen on Mercury itself or on the Moon, and consists of about 100 narrow, smooth bottom cracks known as La Arana. There is a crater in the center of this, and it is unknown whether the crater was involved in its formation. Interestingly, the Albedo Caloris Basin is larger than the surrounding terrain. The reason is under investigation.

 

On the other side of this gigantic geological structure is a hill or mountain range known for its strange terrain. One hypothesis for the origin of this topographic complex is that the shock waves generated by the impact that formed the Caloris basin converge at the antipodal point (180°) of the formation across the entire planetary sphere, causing the surface ( 12 ) to diverge and this It is to form mountain ranges.

 

Like other stars in the solar system, such as the moon, which most resembles its appearance, Mercury's surface has probably been affected by cosmic weathering or cosmic erosion. Solar windsand micrometeorite impacts can darken the surface, changing the reflective properties and overall albedo of the entire planet.

 

Despite the generally extremely high temperature of the surface, more detailed observations suggest the presence of ice on Mercury. The bottoms of several very deep, dark craters near the poles that have never been exposed to direct sunlight are much cooler than the global average. Ice is extremely reflective to radar, and recent observations show highly reflective radar images near the poles. Ice is most likely, if not the only possible cause of such highly reflective areas. The ice in this crater is only a few meters deep and is estimated to contain about a ton of ice. of this substance. The origin of Mercury's frozen water is not certain, but it is believed to have come from a comet that either froze in the waters of the planet's interior or hit the ground.

 

Mercury Magnetosphere

Studies of the interaction of Mercury with the solar wind have revealed the existence of a magnetosphere around the planet. The origin of this magnetic field is unknown. In 2007, highly precise ground-based radar observations showed oscillations of the axis of rotation compatible only with partially molten planetary nuclei. A partially molten core of ferromagnetic material can cause a magnetic field.

 

Mercury Orbit and Rotation

Mercury's orbit is the most eccentric of all the planets orbiting the Sun. Mercury's distance from the Sun varies from 46,000,000 to 70,000,000 (46 million to 70 million) kilometers. A full orbit takes 88 days. Mercury's orbit with respect to Earth has an inclination of 7°.