5-Mercry.pptVIP

太阳系探索 Exploration of the Solar System CES, GUCAS Lecture 5 水星MERCURY TERRESTRIAL PLANETS Mercury Closest planet to the Sun Smallest planet 水星: 古人根据“金木水火土”五行取名 Roman god of “Messenger” Mercury travels around the Sun fastest among planets Orbital velocity: 47.87km/s Earth’s orbital velocity: ~30km/s Only observable during sunrise and sunset MERCURY 距离：0.3871 AU (57.91 106km) The Sun is 11x brighter than on Earth 大小：R=2440 km ≈ 0.382 REarth (RMoon=1734 km) Two satellites are bigger than Mercury: Ganymede木卫三 Titan土卫六 表面基本特征： No significant atmosphere/exosphere: O, H, He, Na, K, Ca, Mg Extreme temperatures: 740K – 90K 公、自转特征： High orbital eccentricity: 0.21 Orbital period: 88 days Rotation period 58.6 days Spin-orbit coupling: spin and orbit are locked into a 3:2 cycle Mercury’s Tidal locking Exploration of Mercury Mercury remains the least understood terrestrial planet Apart from ground-based telescope and radar observations, so far only two missions have been to Mercury Mariner 10 水手十号 flyby three flybys (1974-1975) Allowed humans to see only 45% of Mercury’s surface MESSENGER信使号 orbiter MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging Launched 2004; two flybys in 2008 Mercury orbital insertion in 2011 Surface Geology At first glance: Moon-like surface A history of heavy cratering followed by volcanic eruptions Difference from the Moon: Mercury is less cratered than the Moon Could be due to resurfacing events Less obvious albedo difference between highlands and lowlands Major geological regions Highlands Lowland plains In addition: Lobate scarps Valleys Wrinkle-ridges HIGHLANDS Heavily cratered areas, Mercury’s oldest surviving surface mixed with smoother intercrater plains, likely formed 4.2-4 Ga ago LOWLAND PLAINS (Smooth plains) Smooth, younger than intercrater plains, likely formed 3.8 Ga ago Found within and around Caloris basin, on large basin floors north polar region Myster