Mercury Flyby 1 |
Mercury Flyby 1 |
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#1
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Member ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 258 Joined: 22-December 06 Member No.: 1503 ![]() |
40 days and counting. The long wait is almost over!
I wonder whether we will get enough data to test new simulation theories like this one. http://space.newscientist.com/article/mg19...solar-wind.html What do you expect from this first flyby? |
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#2
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![]() Senior Member ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 3419 Joined: 9-February 04 From: Minneapolis, MN, USA Member No.: 15 ![]() |
My most overwhelming impression of the surface, especially on the inbound full-crescent views, is that Mercury's LHB-carved surface has been almost completely covered with lava flows. The population of completely expressed large craters / small basins is relatively small, especially as compared to our Moon. The population of these large craters / small basins which are expressed only as circular deformations of a relatively smooth covering layer is very similar to the population of non-covered craters in the lunar highlands.
Conclusion? Mercury was resurfaced (if imperfectly) *after* the LHB, and now only exhibits "uncovered" craters from the three and a half billion years since its end. -the other Doug -------------------- “The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right.” -Mark Twain
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#3
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![]() Senior Member ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Group: Members Posts: 1656 Joined: 5-March 05 From: Boulder, CO Member No.: 184 ![]() |
Conclusion? Mercury was resurfaced (if imperfectly) *after* the LHB, and now only exhibits "uncovered" craters from the three and a half billion years since its end. -the other Doug Nice explanation Doug. Sounds like a reasonable hypothesis for the relative lack of Copernicus style craters (as noted for some areas). Does it also explain the prevalance of those double-rimmed ones? -------------------- Steve [ my home page and planetary maps page ]
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