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Hidden clues show Mercury shrank more than previously thought
USA Today • • science
Key Points:
- New research indicates Mercury has shrunk up to 30% more than previously estimated, potentially losing up to 14.5 miles of diameter since its formation due to its cooling interior.
- Wrinkles and contraction features on Mercury’s surface have been obscured by debris from asteroid and comet impacts, complicating earlier measurements of the planet’s shrinkage.
- The study combined older geological maps with newer surface data to provide more accurate estimates, suggesting Mercury’s interior may have a larger metal core or higher initial temperature than thought.
- NASA’s MESSENGER mission data is limited in resolution, but the upcoming BepiColombo mission, launching in 2018 and arriving in 2026, will provide new insights by orbiting Mercury with two spacecraft.
- BepiColombo, a collaboration between the European Space Agency and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, aims to deepen understanding of Mercury’s formation and evolution near the sun.
