Scorching Hot Volcanoes Sculpted Mercury's Crust Before Shutting Down 3.5 Billion Years Ago
Learn about the history of Mercury's volcanoes, which left behind volcanic rocks that contain much less silica than those on Earth.
Volcanism on Mercury ceased over 3.5 billion years ago, although the planet is still contracting due to the cooling of its interior. This contraction, known as global contraction, likely put an end to surface volcanism on Mercury. Recently, scientists have gained insight into Mercury's volcanic past by examining its silica content, despite lacking physical samples from the planet.
Researchers employed tiny glass beads with a controlled silica composition to calibrate the infrared radiation properties of Mercury's surface. This calibration technique, akin to using weight calibration on a scale, enabled the team to deduce that Mercury's surface silica is 25% less abundant than previously estimated. This finding underscores the potential differences in Mercury's volcanic activity compared to Earth's.
Upcoming BepiColombo mission, a joint effort by the European Space Agency and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, will provide further insights into Mercury's volcanic history through surface measurements.
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