 Back |
Next
|
Mercury's
surface
-
Mariner 10 (unmanned)
mapped 45% of surface
-
Surface looks a lot like
our moon
-
Cratering period probably
same as our moon
-
Intercrater plains probably
lava flows
-
Long lines of cliffs call
"scarps" evidence of crust contraction
-
analogy: skin of dried apple
-
Like our moon, Mercury had
at least one very large impact toward the end of the bombardment period
-
Mercury: Caloris basin
-
Moon: Orientale Basin
-
Impact so large, seismic
waves focused on other side of moon/mercury and made jumbled hills
Mercury:
Our moon:
Mercury:
Mercury left, moon right
Jumbled hills on Mercury
| Back |
Next
|