Gravity and topography admittance; Mercury's crust; MESSENGER; Surface porosity; Astronomy and Astrophysics; Space and Planetary Science
Abstract :
[en] A new solution of Mercury's gravity field to degree and order 160, named HgM009, is retrieved through a reprocessing of MESSENGER radio science measurements. By combining our latest gravity field with topography data, localized spectral admittance analyses are carried out to investigate Mercury's crustal and lithospheric properties across the northern hemisphere. The measured spectra are compared with admittances predicted by lithospheric flexure models. The localized gravity/topography admittance analyses yield key information on the lateral variations of the bulk density of the upper crust. Elastic and crustal thicknesses are also adjusted in our study, but the local admittance spectra allow us to constrain these parameters only over a few regions. The average bulk density across the observed areas in the northern hemisphere is 2540 ±60 kg m−3. The crustal porosity is then constrained by using an estimate of the pore-free grain density of surface materials with our measured bulk density. Our estimate of the mean porosity is 14.7 ±1.6 %, which is comparable to, but slightly higher than, the average value measured on the Moon. Larger crustal porosities are observed over heavily cratered regions, suggesting that impact bombardment is the main cause of the crustal porosity.
Disciplines :
Earth sciences & physical geography
Author, co-author :
Genova, Antonio; Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
Goossens, Sander; NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, United States
Del Vecchio, Edoardo; Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
Petricca, Flavio; Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
Beuthe, Mikael; Royal Observatory of Belgium, Brussels, Belgium
Wieczorek, Mark; Université Côte d'Azur, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Laboratoire Lagrange, France
Chiarolanza, Gianluca; Università d'Annunzio, Pescara, Italy ; International Research School of Planetary Sciences, Pescara, Italy
di Achille, Gaetano; INAF – Osservatorio Astronomico d'Abruzzo, Teramo, Italy
Mitri, Giuseppe; Università d'Annunzio, Pescara, Italy ; International Research School of Planetary Sciences, Pescara, Italy
Di Stefano, Ivan; Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
Charlier, Bernard ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de géologie > Pétrologie, géochimie endogènes et pétrophysique
Mazarico, Erwan; NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, United States
James, Peter; Department of Geosciences, Baylor University, Waco, United States
MIUR - Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca [IT] ASI - Agenzia Spaziale Italiana [IT]
Funding text :
The gravity field HgM009 and the ancillary information, including the covariance matrix, presented in this study are archived at https://sites.google.com/uniroma1.it/spring . Our software that enables localized spectral analyses of gravity/topography correlation and admittance is based on the free software package shtools ( Wieczorek and Meschede, 2018 ). We are grateful to Walter S. Kiefer and an anonymous reviewer for helpful and constructive comments on previous versions of this paper. AG acknowledges funding from the Rita Levi Montalcini Programme of the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) and the Italian Space Agency (ASI) grant n. 2022-16-HH.0.
Becker, Kris J., Robinson, Mark S., Becker, Tammy L., Weller, Lynn A., Edmundson, Kenneth L., Neumann, Gregory A., Perry, Mark E., Solomon, Sean C., First global digital elevation model of Mercury. Presented at the 47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, 2016, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, TX.
Beuthe, Mikael, Charlier, Bernard, Namur, Olivier, Rivoldini, Attilio, van Hoolst, Tim, Mercury's crustal thickness correlates with lateral variations in mantle melt production. Geophys. Res. Lett., 47(9), 2020, 10.1029/2020GL087261 e2020GL087261.
Broquet, A., Wieczorek, M.A., The gravitational signature of Martian volcanoes. J. Geophys. Res. Planet 124:8 (2019), 2054–2086, 10.1029/2019JE005959.
Byrne, Paul K., Ostrach, Lillian R., Fassett, Caleb I., Chapman, Clark R., Denevi, Brett W., Evans, Alexander J., Klimczak, Christian, Banks, Maria E., Head, James W., Solomon, Sean C., Widespread effusive volcanism on Mercury likely ended by about 3.5 Ga. Geophys. Res. Lett. 43:14 (2016), 7408–7416, 10.1002/2016GL069412.
Charlier, Bernard, Namur, Olivier, The origin and differentiation of planet Mercury. Elements 15:1 (2019), 9–14, 10.2138/GSELEMENTS.15.1.9.
Charlier, Bernard, Grove, Timothy L., Zuber, Maria T., Phase equilibria of ultramafic compositions on Mercury and the origin of the compositional dichotomy. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 363:February (2013), 50–60, 10.1016/J.EPSL.2012.12.021.
Denevi, B.W., Ernst, C.M., Prockter, L.M., Robinson, M.S., The geologic history of Mercury. Solomon, Sean C., Nittler, Larry R., Anderson, Brian J., (eds.) Mercury, 2018, Cambridge University Press, 144–175.
Ermakov, A.I., Park, R.S., Bills, B.G., Power laws of topography and gravity spectra of the solar system bodies. J. Geophys. Res. Planet 123:8 (2018), 2038–2064, 10.1029/2018JE005562.
Fassett, C.I., Kadish, S.J., Head, J.W., Solomon, S.C., Strom, R.G., The global population of large craters on Mercury and comparison with the moon. Wiley Online Libr., 38(10), 2011, 10202, 10.1029/2011GL047294.
Frank, Elizabeth A., Potter, Ross W.K., Abramov, Oleg, James, Peter B., Klima, Rachel L., Mojzsis, Stephen J., Nittler, Larry R., Evaluating an impact origin for Mercury's high-magnesium region. J. Geophys. Res. Planet 122:3 (2017), 614–632, 10.1002/2016JE005244.
Genova, A., Iess, L., Marabucci, M., Mercury's gravity field from the first six months of MESSENGER data. Planet. Space Sci. 81:June (2013), 55–64, 10.1016/J.PSS.2013.02.006.
Genova, A., Mazarico, E., Goossens, S., Lemoine, F.G., Neumann, G.A., Smith, D.E., Zuber, M.T., Solar system expansion and strong equivalence principle as seen by the NASA MESSENGER mission. Nat. Commun., 9(1), 2018, 10.1038/s41467-017-02558-1.
Genova, A., Goossens, S., Mazarico, E., Lemoine, F.G., Neumann, G.A., Kuang, W., Sabaka, T.J., et al. Geodetic evidence that Mercury has a solid inner core. Geophys. Res. Lett., 46(7), 2019, 10.1029/2018GL081135.
Genova, Antonio, Hussmann, Hauke, Van Hoolst, Tim, Heyner, Daniel, Iess, Luciano, Santoli, Francesco, Thomas, Nicolas, et al. Geodesy, geophysics and fundamental physics investigations of the BepiColombo mission. Space Sci. Rev. 217:2 (2021), 1–62, 10.1007/S11214-021-00808-9.
Goossens, S., Sabaka, T.J., Genova, A., Mazarico, E., Nicholas, J.B., Neumann, G.A., Evidence for a low bulk crustal density for Mars from gravity and topography. Geophys. Res. Lett., 44(15), 2017, 10.1002/2017GL074172.
Goossens, S., Genova, A., James, P.B., Mazarico, E., Estimation of crust and lithospheric properties for Mercury from high-resolution gravity and topography. Planet. Sci. J., 3(6), 2022, 145, 10.3847/PSJ/ac703f.
Grott, M., Wieczorek, M.A., Density and lithospheric structure at Tyrrhena Patera, Mars, from gravity and topography data. Icarus 221:1 (2012), 43–52, 10.1016/J.ICARUS.2012.07.008.
Hauck, Steven A., Dombard, Andrew J., Phillips, Roger J., Solomon, Sean C., Internal and tectonic evolution of Mercury. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 222:3–4 (2004), 713–728, 10.1016/J.EPSL.2004.03.037.
James, Peter B., Zuber, Maria T., Phillips, Roger J., Solomon, Sean C., Support of long-wavelength topography on Mercury inferred from MESSENGER measurements of gravity and topography. J. Geophys. Res. Planet 120:2 (2015), 287–310, 10.1002/2014JE004713.
Kaaden, Vander, Kathleen, E., McCubbin, Francis M., Exotic crust formation on Mercury: consequences of a shallow, FeO-poor mantle. J. Geophys. Res. Planet 120:2 (2015), 195–209, 10.1002/2014JE004733.
Kaula, W.M., Theory of Satellite Geodesy. Applications of Satellites to Geodesy. 1966, Blaisdell Publishing Company, Waltham, MA.
Kay, Jonathan P., Dombard, Andrew J., Long-wavelength topography on Mercury is not from folding of the lithosphere. Icarus 319:February (2019), 724–728, 10.1016/J.ICARUS.2018.09.040.
Klima, Rachel L., Denevi, Brett W., Ernst, Carolyn M., Murchie, Scott L., Peplowski, Patrick N., Global distribution and spectral properties of low-reflectance material on Mercury. Geophys. Res. Lett. 45:7 (2018), 2945–2953, 10.1002/2018GL077544.
Klimczak, Christian, Limits on the brittle strength of planetary lithospheres undergoing global contraction. J. Geophys. Res. Planet 120:12 (2015), 2135–2151, 10.1002/2015JE004851.
Konopliv, A.S., Banerdt, W.B., Sjogren, W.L., Venus gravity: 180th degree and order model. Icarus 139:1 (1999), 3–18, 10.1006/ICAR.1999.6086.
Konopliv, A.S., Asmar, S., Bills, B.G., Mastrodemos, N., Park, R.S., Raymond, C.A., Smith, D.E., Zuber, M.T., M.T., The Dawn gravity investigation at Vesta and Ceres. Space Sci. Rev. 163:1 (2011), 461–486, 10.1007/s11214-011-9794-8.
Konopliv, A.S., Park, R.S., Ermakov, A.I., The Mercury gravity field, orientation, love number, and ephemeris from the MESSENGER radiometric tracking data. Icarus, 335(January), 2020, 113386, 10.1016/J.ICARUS.2019.07.020.
Le Feuvre, M., Wieczorek, M.A., Nonuniform cratering of the terrestrial planets. Icarus 197:1 (2008), 291–306, 10.1016/J.ICARUS.2008.04.011.
Marchi, Simone, Chapman, Clark R., Fassett, Caleb I., Head, James W., Bottke, W.F., Strom, Robert G., Global resurfacing of Mercury 4.0–4.1 billion years ago by heavy bombardment and volcanism. Nature 499:7456 (2013), 59–61, 10.1038/nature12280.
Margot, Jean-Luc, Peale, Stanton J., Solomon, Sean C., Hauck, Steven A., Ghigo, Frank D., Jurgens, Raymond F., Yseboodt, Marie, Giorgini, Jon D., Padovan, Sebastiano, Campbell, Donald B., Mercury's moment of inertia from spin and gravity data. J. Geophys. Res. Planet 117:E12 (2012), 0–09, 10.1029/2012JE004161.
Mazarico, E., Genova, A., Goossens, S., Lemoine, F.G., Neumann, G.A., Zuber, M.T., Smith, D.E., Solomon, S.C., The gravity field, orientation, and ephemeris of Mercury from MESSENGER observations after three years in orbit. J. Geophys. Res. Planet, 119(12), 2014, 10.1002/2014JE004675.
Melosh, J.H., Global tectonics of a Despun planet. Icarus 31:2 (1977), 221–243, 10.1016/0019-1035(77)90035-5.
Murchie, Scott L., Klima, Rachel L., Denevi, Brett W., Ernst, Carolyn M., Keller, Mary R., Domingue, Deborah L., Blewett, David T., et al. Orbital multispectral mapping of Mercury with the MESSENGER Mercury dual imaging system: evidence for the origins of plains units and low-reflectance material. Icarus 254:July (2015), 287–305, 10.1016/J.ICARUS.2015.03.027.
Namur, Olivier, Charlier, Bernard, Silicate Mineralogy at the Surface of Mercury. 2017, 10.1038/NGEO2860.
Namur, Olivier, Collinet, Max, Charlier, Bernard, Grove, Timothy L., Holtz, Francois, McCammon, Catherine, Melting processes and mantle sources of lavas on Mercury. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 439:April (2016), 117–128, 10.1016/J.EPSL.2016.01.030.
Padovan, Sebastiano, Wieczorek, Mark A., Margot, Jean-Luc, Tosi, Nicola, Solomon, Sean C., Thickness of the crust of Mercury from geoid-to-topography ratios. Geophys. Res. Lett. 42 (2015), 1029–1038, 10.1002/2014GL062487.
Pavlis, Despina E., Nicholas, Joseph B., GEODYN Documentation, Goddard Earth Science Projects. https://earth.gsfc.nasa.gov/geo/data/geodyn-documentation, 2022.
Peplowski, Patrick N., Klima, Rachel L., Lawrence, David J., Ernst, Carolyn M., Denevi, Brett W., Frank, Elizabeth A., Goldsten, John O., Murchie, Scott L., Nittler, Larry R., Solomon, Sean C., Remote Sensing Evidence for an Ancient Carbon-Bearing Crust on Mercury. 9, 2016, 273–276, 10.1038/NGEO2669.
Reynolds, Osborne, LVII. On the dilatancy of media composed of rigid particles in contact. With experimental illustrations. Lond. Edinburgh Dublin Philos. Mag. J. Sci. 20:127 (1885), 469–481, 10.1080/14786448508627791.
Schlemm, Charles E., Starr, Richard D., Ho, George C., Bechtold, Kathryn E., Hamilton, Sarah A., Boldt, John D., Boynton, William V., et al. The X-ray spectrometer on the MESSENGER spacecraft. The Messenger Mission to Mercury, 393–415, 2007, 10.1007/978-0-387-77214-1_11.
Smith, David E., Zuber, Maria T., Phillips, Roger J., Solomon, Sean C., Hauck, Steven A., Lemoine, Frank G., Mazarico, Erwan, et al. Gravity field and internal structure of Mercury from MESSENGER. Science 336:6078 (2012), 214–217, 10.1126/SCIENCE.1218809.
Solomon, Sean C., McNutt, Ralph L., Gold, Robert E., Acuña, Mario H., Baker, Daniel N., Boynton, William V., Chapman, Clark R., et al. The MESSENGER mission to Mercury: scientific objectives and implementation. Planet. Space Sci. 49:14–15 (2001), 1445–1465, 10.1016/S0032-0633(01)00085-X.
Solomon, Sean C., Nittler, Larry R., Anderson, Brian J., (eds.) Mercury: The View after MESSENGER., vol. 21, 2018, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.
Sori, Michael M., A thin, dense crust for Mercury. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 489:May (2018), 92–99, 10.1016/J.EPSL.2018.02.033.
Strom, Robert G., Banks, Maria E., Chapman, Clark R., Fassett, Caleb I., Forde, Jeffrey A., Head, James W., Merline, William J., Prockter, Louise M., Solomon, Sean C., Mercury crater statistics from MESSENGER flybys: implications for stratigraphy and resurfacing history. Planet. Space Sci. 59:15 (2011), 1960–1967, 10.1016/J.PSS.2011.03.018.
Tapley, Byron D., Schutz, Bob E., Born, George H., Statistical orbit determination. Statistical Orbit Determination, 2004, Elsevier Inc., 10.1016/B978-0-12-683630-1.X5019-X.
Trask, Newell J., Guest, John E., Preliminary geologic terrain map of Mercury. J. Geophys. Res. 80:17 (1975), 2461–2477, 10.1029/JB080I017P02461.
Turcotte, D.L., Willemann, R.J., Haxby, W.F., Norberry, John, Role of membrane stresses in the support of planetary topography. J. Geophys. Res. Solid Earth 86:B5 (1981), 3951–3959, 10.1029/JB086IB05P03951.
Verma, Ashok Kumar, Margot, Jean-Luc, Mercury's gravity, tides, and spin from MESSENGER radio science data. J. Geophys. Res. Planet 121:9 (2016), 1627–1640, 10.1002/2016JE005037.
Weider, Shoshana Z., Nittler, Larry R., Starr, Richard D., McCoy, Timothy J., Stockstill-Cahill, Karen R., Byrne, Paul K., Denevi, Brett W., Head, James W., Solomon, Sean C., Chemical heterogeneity on Mercury's surface revealed by the MESSENGER X-ray spectrometer. J. Geophys. Res. Planet 117:E12 (2012), 0–05, 10.1029/2012JE004153.
Weider, Shoshana Z., Nittler, Larry R., Starr, Richard D., Crapster-Pregont, Ellen J., Peplowski, Patrick N., Denevi, Brett W., Head, James W., et al. Evidence for geochemical terranes on Mercury: global mapping of major elements with MESSENGER's X-ray spectrometer. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 416:April (2015), 109–120, 10.1016/J.EPSL.2015.01.023.
Whitten, Jennifer L., Head, James W., Denevi, Brett W., Solomon, Sean C., Intercrater PLAINS on Mercury: insights into unit definition, characterization, and origin from MESSENGER datasets. Icarus 241:October (2014), 97–113, 10.1016/J.ICARUS.2014.06.013.
Wieczorek, Mark A., The gravity and topography of the terrestrial planets. Treatise on Geophysics, 2015.
Wieczorek, Mark A., Meschede, Matthias, SHTools: tools for working with spherical harmonics. Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst. 19:8 (2018), 2574–2592, 10.1029/2018GC007529.
Wieczorek, Mark A., Phillips, Roger J., Potential anomalies on a sphere: Applications to the thickness of the lunar crust. J. Geophys. Res. Planets 103:E1 (1998), 1715–1724, 10.1029/97JE03136.
Wieczorek, Mark A., Simons, Frederik J., Localized spectral analysis on the sphere. Geophys. J. Int. 162:3 (2005), 655–675, 10.1111/J.1365-246X.2005.02687.X.
Wieczorek, Mark A., Neumann, Gregory A., Nimmo, Francis, Kiefer, Walter S., Jeffrey Taylor, G., Jay Melosh, H., Phillips, Roger J., et al. The crust of the moon as seen by GRAIL. Science 339:6120 (2013), 671–675, 10.1126/SCIENCE.1231530.
Wieczorek, Mark. A., Simons, Frederik J., Minimum-variance multitaper spectral estimation on the sphere. J. Fourier Anal. Appl. 13:6 (2007), 665–692, 10.1007/s00041-006-6904-1.
Willemann, R.J., Turcotte, D.L., The role of lithospheric stress in the support of the Tharsis rise. J. Geophys. Res. 87:B12 (1982), 9793–9801, 10.1029/JB087iB12p09793.
Zuber, Maria T., Smith, David E., Phillips, Roger J., Solomon, Sean C., Neumann, Gregory A., Hauck, Steven A., Peale, Stanton J., et al. Topography of the northern hemisphere of Mercury from MESSENGER laser altimetry. Science 336:6078 (2012), 217–220, 10.1126/SCIENCE.1218805.
