Mercury's crust points to deeper, hotter volcanic origins than expected
The evolutionary histories of Earth and Mercury differ fundamentally. The smallest planet, closest to the sun, likely began cooling early on, much like a setting pudding: As early as about 1 billion years after its formation, Mercury's volcanic activity came to a halt, and a solid, continuous "rock skin" formed on the planet's surface. Earth's crust, on the other hand, is still in motion:…
A new study reveals that Mercury's surface contains about 37% silicon dioxide, significantly less than previously estimated. This low abundance suggests that volcanic rocks on Mercury formed from mantle material that melted at greater depths than previously thought. The findings indicate high temperatures in Mercury's interior, but oxygen loss may also have contributed to the reduced silicon dioxide content.
Researchers calibrated infrared data using laboratory glass beads and validated their results with lunar samples. The next step is to analyze data from ESA's BepiColombo mission, which is scheduled to enter orbit around Mercury in September 2026.
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