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Mapping iron abundances on the surface of Mercury: Predicted spatial resolution of the MESSENGER Gamma-Ray Spectrometer |
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| Authors: | Patrick N Peplowski David T Blewett Brett W Denevi Larry G Evans David J Lawrence Larry R Nittler Edgar A Rhodes Christina M Selby Sean C Solomon |
| Institution: | aJohns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723, USA;bComputer Sciences Corporation, Lanham, MD 20706, USA;cDepartment of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, DC 20015, USA |
| Abstract: | To illustrate the spatial resolution of measurements of Mercury's surface elemental composition by the Gamma-Ray Spectrometer on the MESSENGER spacecraft after one year of orbital observations, we have simulated a global coverage map of the 846-keV iron gamma-ray count rate. The simulated map suggests that distinct geologic units larger than 800 km in horizontal dimension will be discernable when the difference in Fe abundance between adjacent geologic units exceeds 4 wt%. These results imply that the MESSENGER Gamma-Ray Spectrometer dataset will provide useful information for regional geological studies of the surface of Mercury. |
| Keywords: | Mercury Gamma-ray spectrometry Iron MESSENGER |
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