What are some surface features of mercury?

Answer 1

Surface features

Mercury is a small planet that is quite hot (approximately 800°F [427°C] during a Mercurian day) when the Sun shines on its surface. It has a very thin atmosphere of oxygen, potassium, and sodium vapors. The surface pressure of atmosphere is too low to have wind. Without wind, running water, and flowing ice, the range of surface processes is limited to physical weathering effects of heating and cooling and meteoritic impact.

Mariner 10 is the only spacecraft to have photographed the surface of Mercury. Completing a total of three close encounters with the planet, in March and September 1974, and March 1975, the space probe was able to record details over about 45% of Mercury's crater strewn surface. The remaining half of Mercury's surface has never been photographed.

Mercury's surface is very similar to that of the Moon. There are, however, some important differences This expanse of the surface of Mercury is about 217 mi (350 km) across. These inter-crater plains, located near the south pole, are traversed by numerous ridges and scarps. The crustal fracturing on Mercury is as large in scale as that on Earth. U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). in features. Mercury has, for example, relatively fewer craters larger than 15.5-31 mi (25-50 km) in diameter. There are no extensive highland regions on Mercury, and the surface is subdivided simply into "cratered terrain" and "intercrater plains" based upon differences in crater density and size. Resurfaced regions on Mercury are rare (<15% of the surface), and are referred to as "smooth plains." Unlike the Moon, Mercury exhibits many scalloped cliffs, or lobate scarps that can run for several hundred kilometers and be as much as 0.6 mi (1 km) high. Only one lunar-like mare, the Caloris Basin, has been discovered on Mercury, however, many large multi-ring crater basins (124-373 mi [200-600 km] in diameter) are filled with flood basalts like the lunar mare. Sporting a relatively flat but wrinkled floor, and being surrounded by a ring of 1.24 mi-(2 km) high mountains, the Caloris Basin, with a diameter of about 807.5 mi (1,300 km), is the largest Mercurian feature.

Read more: Mercury (Planet) - Surface Features http://science.jrank.org/pages/4242/Mercury-Planet-Surface-features.html#ixzz0XiIEDFNv

Answer 2

Surface features

Mercury is a small planet that is quite hot (approximately 800°F [427°C] during a Mercurian day) when the Sun shines on its surface. It has a very thin atmosphere of oxygen, potassium, and sodium vapors. The surface pressure of atmosphere is too low to have wind. Without wind, running water, and flowing ice, the range of surface processes is limited to physical weathering effects of heating and cooling and meteoritic impact.

Mariner 10 is the only spacecraft to have photographed the surface of Mercury. Completing a total of three close encounters with the planet, in March and September 1974, and March 1975, the space probe was able to record details over about 45% of Mercury's crater strewn surface. The remaining half of Mercury's surface has never been photographed.

Mercury's surface is very similar to that of the Moon. There are, however, some important differences This expanse of the surface of Mercury is about 217 mi (350 km) across. These inter-crater plains, located near the south pole, are traversed by numerous ridges and scarps. The crustal fracturing on Mercury is as large in scale as that on Earth. U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). in features. Mercury has, for example, relatively fewer craters larger than 15.5-31 mi (25-50 km) in diameter. There are no extensive highland regions on Mercury, and the surface is subdivided simply into "cratered terrain" and "intercrater plains" based upon differences in crater density and size. Resurfaced regions on Mercury are rare (<15% of the surface), and are referred to as "smooth plains." Unlike the Moon, Mercury exhibits many scalloped cliffs, or lobate scarps that can run for several hundred kilometers and be as much as 0.6 mi (1 km) high. Only one lunar-like mare, the Caloris Basin, has been discovered on Mercury, however, many large multi-ring crater basins (124-373 mi [200-600 km] in diameter) are filled with flood basalts like the lunar mare. Sporting a relatively flat but wrinkled floor, and being surrounded by a ring of 1.24 mi-(2 km) high mountains, the Caloris Basin, with a diameter of about 807.5 mi (1,300 km), is the largest Mercurian feature.

Read more: Mercury (Planet) - Surface Features http://science.jrank.org/pages/4242/Mercury-Planet-Surface-features.html#ixzz0XiIEDFNv