Evidence for Water Ice Near Mercury's North Pole from MESSENGER Neutron Spectrometer Measurements

被引：143

作者：

Lawrence, David J. ^{[1
]}

Feldman, William C. ^{[2
]}

Goldsten, John O. ^{[1
]}

Maurice, Sylvestre ^{[3
]}

Peplowski, Patrick N. ^{[1
]}

Anderson, Brian J. ^{[1
]}

Bazell, David ^{[1
]}

McNutt, Ralph L., Jr. ^{[1
]}

Nittler, Larry R. ^{[4
]}

Prettyman, Thomas H. ^{[2
]}

Rodgers, Douglas J. ^{[1
]}

Solomon, Sean C. ^{[4
,5
]}

Weider, Shoshana Z. ^{[4
]}

机构：

[1] Johns Hopkins Univ, Appl Phys Lab, Laurel, MD 20723 USA

[2] Planetary Sci Inst, Tucson, AZ 85719 USA

[3] Univ Toulouse 3, CNRS, Observ Midi Pyrenees, Inst Rech Astrophys & Planetol, F-31062 Toulouse, France

[4] Carnegie Inst Sci, Dept Terr Magnetism, Washington, DC 20015 USA

[5] Columbia Univ, Lamont Doherty Earth Observ, Palisades, NY 10964 USA

来源：

SCIENCE | 2013年 / 339卷 / 6117期

关键词：

LUNAR PROSPECTOR; MOON; SURFACE; REGOLITH; HYDROGEN; DEPOSITS; ELEMENTS; RAY;

D O I：

10.1126/science.1229953

中图分类号：

O [数理科学和化学]; P [天文学、地球科学]; Q [生物科学]; N [自然科学总论];

学科分类号：

07 ; 0710 ; 09 ;

摘要：

Measurements by the Neutron Spectrometer on the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft show decreases in the flux of epithermal and fast neutrons from Mercury's north polar region that are consistent with the presence of water ice in permanently shadowed regions. The neutron data indicate that Mercury's radar-bright polar deposits contain, on average, a hydrogen-rich layer more than tens of centimeters thick beneath a surficial layer 10 to 30 cm thick that is less rich in hydrogen. Combined neutron and radar data are best matched if the buried layer consists of nearly pure water ice. The upper layer contains less than 25 weight % water-equivalent hydrogen. The total mass of water at Mercury's poles is inferred to be 2 x 10(16) to 10(18) grams and is consistent with delivery by comets or volatile-rich asteroids.

引用

页码：292 / 296

页数：5

共 36 条

[1] The migration of volatiles on the surfaces of Mercury and the Moon
Butler, BJ
[J]. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-PLANETS, 1997, 102 (E8) : 19283 - 19291
[2] MERCURY - FULL-DISK RADAR IMAGES AND THE DETECTION AND STABILITY OF ICE AT THE NORTH-POLE
BUTLER, BJ
MUHLEMAN, DO
SLADE, MA
[J]. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-PLANETS, 1993, 98 (E8) : 15003 - 15023
[3] Carrier I.I.I.W.D., 1991, Lunar Sourcebook, a User's Guide to the Moon, P475
[4] Craters hosting radar-bright deposits in Mercury's north polar region: Areas of persistent shadow determined from MESSENGER images
Chabot, Nancy L.
Ernst, Carolyn M.
Harmon, John K.
Murchie, Scott L.
Solomon, Sean C.
Blewett, David T.
Denevi, Brett W.
[J]. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-PLANETS, 2013, 118 (01) : 26 - 36
[5] Areas of permanent shadow in Mercury's south polar region ascertained by MESSENGER orbital imaging
Chabot, Nancy L.
Ernst, Carolyn M.
Denevi, Brett W.
Harmon, John K.
Murchie, Scott L.
Blewett, David T.
Solomon, Sean C.
Zhong, Ellen D.
[J]. GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, 2012, 39
[6] Burial rate of Mercury's polar volatile deposits
Crider, D
Killen, RM
[J]. GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, 2005, 32 (12) : 1 - 5
[7] Major-element abundances on the surface of Mercury: Results from the MESSENGER Gamma-Ray Spectrometer
Evans, Larry G.
Peplowski, Patrick N.
Rhodes, Edgar A.
Lawrence, David J.
McCoy, Timothy J.
Nittler, Larry R.
Solomon, Sean C.
Sprague, Ann L.
Stockstill-Cahill, Karen R.
Starr, Richard D.
Weider, Shoshana Z.
Boynton, William V.
Hamara, David K.
Goldsten, John O.
[J]. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-PLANETS, 2012, 117
[8] Vertical distribution of hydrogen at high northern latitudes on Mars: The Mars Odyssey Neutron Spectrometer
Feldman, W. C.
Mellon, M. T.
Gasnault, O.
Diez, B.
Elphic, R. C.
Hagerty, J. J.
Lawrence, D. J.
Maurice, S.
Prettyman, T. H.
[J]. GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, 2007, 34 (05)
[9] A DOPPLER FILTER TECHNIQUE TO MEASURE THE HYDROGEN CONTENT OF PLANETARY SURFACES
FELDMAN, WC
DRAKE, DM
[J]. NUCLEAR INSTRUMENTS & METHODS IN PHYSICS RESEARCH SECTION A-ACCELERATORS SPECTROMETERS DETECTORS AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT, 1986, 245 (01) : 182 - 190
[10] Fluxes of fast and epithermal neutrons from lunar prospector: Evidence for water ice at the lunar poles
Feldman, WC
Maurice, S
Binder, AB
Barraclough, BL
Elphic, RC
Lawrence, DJ
[J]. SCIENCE, 1998, 281 (5382) : 1496 - 1500

← 1 2 3 4 →