MESSENGER Mission Overview

There is no author summary for this article yet. Authors can add summaries to their articles on ScienceOpen to make them more accessible to a non-specialist audience.

Abstract

Related collections

Most cited references 29

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: not found

Magnetic Field Observations near Mercury: Preliminary Results from Mariner 10

R Lepping, Y. Whang, K. BEHANNON … (1974)

Results are presented from a preliminary analysis of data obtained near Mercury on 29 March 1974 by the NASA-GSFC magnetic field experiment on Mariner 10. Rather unexpectedly, a very well-developed, detached bow shock wave, which develops as the super-Alfvénic solar wind interacts with the planet, has been observed. In addition, a magnetosphere-like region, with maximum field strength of 98 gammas at closest approach (704 kilometers altitude), has been observed, contained within boundaries similar to the terrestrial magnetopause. The obstacle deflecting the solar wind flow is global in size, but the origin of the enhanced magnetic field has not yet been uniquely established. The field may be intrinsic to the planet and distorted by interaction with the solar wind. It may also be associated with a complex induction process whereby the planetary interior-atmosphere-ionosphere interacts with the solar wind flow to generate the observed field by a dynamo action. The complete body of data favors the preliminary conclusion that Mercury has an intrinsic magnetic field. If this is correct, it represents a major scientific discovery in planetary magnetism and will have considerable impact on studies of the origin of the solar system.

0 comments Cited 122 times – based on 0 reviews      Review now

Bookmark

Record: found
Abstract: not found
Article: not found

Mercury Radar Imaging: Evidence for Polar Ice

M. A. Slade, B. Butler, D O Muhleman (1992)

0 comments Cited 97 times – based on 0 reviews      Review now

Bookmark

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: not found

Large Longitude Libration of Mercury Reveals a Molten Core

J. Margot, S. Peale, R. F. Jurgens … (2007)

Observations of radar speckle patterns tied to the rotation of Mercury establish that the planet occupies a Cassini state with obliquity of 2.11 +/- 0.1 arc minutes. The measurements show that the planet exhibits librations in longitude that are forced at the 88-day orbital period, as predicted by theory. The large amplitude of the oscillations, 35.8 +/- 2 arc seconds, together with the Mariner 10 determination of the gravitational harmonic coefficient C22, indicates that the mantle of Mercury is decoupled from a core that is at least partially molten.

0 comments Cited 96 times – based on 0 reviews      Review now

Bookmark

All references

Author and article information

Journal

Title: Space Science Reviews

Abbreviated Title: Space Sci Rev

Publisher: Springer Nature

ISSN (Print): 0038-6308

ISSN (Electronic): 1572-9672

Publication date Created: August 2007

Publication date (Print): October 2007

Volume: 131

Issue: 1-4

Pages: 3-39

Article

DOI: 10.1007/s11214-007-9247-6

SO-VID: 5f36ae37-8432-4570-8532-84d363a53c24

History

Data availability:

Comments

Comment on this article

scite_

Cited by 94

See all cited by

Most referenced authors 252

See all reference authors

MESSENGER Mission Overview

Read this article at

Abstract

Related collections

Claudins

Most cited references 29

Magnetic Field Observations near Mercury: Preliminary Results from Mariner 10

Mercury Radar Imaging: Evidence for Polar Ice

Large Longitude Libration of Mercury Reveals a Molten Core

Author and article information

Journal

Article

History

Comments

Comment on this article

Similar content 1,740

Cited by 94

Most referenced authors 252