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AGU: Geophysical Research Letters

 

Keywords

  • Mercury
  • chronology
  • cratering record

Index Terms

  • Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects: Mercury
  • Geochronology: Planetary and lunar geochronology
  • Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets: Impact phenomena, cratering
  • Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets: Volcanism

Abstract

GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 36, L21204, 6 PP., 2009
doi:10.1029/2009GL040353

Mercury's geochronology revised by applying Model Production Function to Mariner 10 data: Geological implications

Matteo Massironi

Dipartimento di Geoscienze, Università di Padova, Padua, Italy

CISAS, Università di Padova, Padua, Italy

Gabriele Cremonese

INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova, Padua, Italy

Simone Marchi

Dipartimento di Astronomia, Università di Padova, Padua, Italy

Elena Martellato

CISAS, Università di Padova, Padua, Italy

Stefano Mottola

Institute of Planetary Research, German Aerospace Center, Berlin, Germany

Roland J. Wagner

Institute of Planetary Research, German Aerospace Center, Berlin, Germany

Model Production Function (MPF) chronology uses dynamic models of the Main Belt Asteroids (MBAs) and Near Earth Objects (NEOs) to derive the impactor flux to a target body. This is converted into the crater size-frequency-distribution for a specific planetary surface, and calibrated using the radiometric ages of different regions of the Moon's surface. This new approach has been applied to the crater counts on Mariner 10 images of the highlands and of several large impact basins on Mercury. MPF estimates for the plains show younger ages than those of previous chronologies. Assuming a variable uppermost layering of the Hermean crust, the age of the Caloris interior plains may be as young as 3.59 Ga, in agreement with MESSENGER results that imply that long-term volcanism overcame contractional tectonics. The MPF chronology also suggests a variable projectile flux through time, coherent with the MBAs for ancient periods and then gradually comparable also to the NEOs.

Received 5 August 2009; accepted 7 October 2009; published 7 November 2009.

Citation: Massironi, M., G. Cremonese, S. Marchi, E. Martellato, S. Mottola, and R. J. Wagner (2009), Mercury's geochronology revised by applying Model Production Function to Mariner 10 data: Geological implications, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L21204, doi:10.1029/2009GL040353.

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