Images from MDIS aboard the MESSENGER mission reveal low-reflectance polar deposits that are interpreted to be lag deposits of organic-rich, volatile material. Interpretation of these highest-resolution images of Mercury’s polar deposits has been limited by the available topography models, so local high-resolution (125 m pixel−1) digital elevation models (DEMs) were made using a combination of data from the MLA and from shape-from-shading techniques using MDIS images. Local DEMs were made for eight of Mercury’s north polar craters; these DEMs were then used to create high-resolution simulated image, illumination, and thermal models. The simulated images reveal that the pixel brightness variations imaged within Mercury’s low-reflectance deposits are consistent with scattered light reflecting off of topography. The illumination and thermal models show that these low-reflectance polar deposits extend beyond the permanently shadowed region, more than 1.0 km in some locations, and correspond to a maximum surface temperature of greater than 250 K but less than 350 K. The low-reflectance boundaries of all eight polar deposits studied here show a close correspondence with the surface stability boundary of coronene.
PMCID: PMC7668200
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7668200/
| Preview | Filename | Description |
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angelou_stack_24mpp.cub |
USGS ISIS data cube for Angelou. |
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angelou_raw_2.zip |
Raw images and models for Angelou. |
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bechet_raw_2.zip |
Raw images and models for Bechet. |
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bechet_stack_32mpp.cub |
USGS ISIS data cube for Bechet. |
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desprez_raw_2.zip |
Raw images and models for Desprez. |
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ensor_raw_2.zip |
Raw images and models for Ensor. |
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fuller_raw_2.zip |
Raw images and models for Fuller. |
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ensor_stack_38mpp.cub |
USGS ISIS data cube for Ensor. |
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jimenez_stack_40mpp.cub |
USGS ISIS data cube for Jimenez. |
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jimenez_raw_2.zip |
Raw images and models for Jimenez. |
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josetsu_raw_2.zip |
Raw images and models for Josetsu. |
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laxness_stack_46mpp.cub |
USGS ISIS data cube for Laxness. |
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laxness_raw_2.zip |
Raw images and models for Laxness. |
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figure1.pdf |
Figure 1 |
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figure2.pdf |
Figure 2 |
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figure2.psd |
Figure 2 PS |
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figure3.pdf |
Figure 3 |
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figure3.psd |
Figure 3 PS |
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figure4.pdf |
Figure 4 |
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figure4.psd |
Figure 5 PS |
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figure5.pdf |
Figure 5 |
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figure5.psd |
Figure 5 PS |
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figure6.pdf |
Figure 6 |
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figure1.psd |
Figure 1 PS |
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figure7.pdf |
Figure 7 |
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figure7.psd |
Figure 7 PS |
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figure8.pdf |
Figure 8 |
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figure8.psd |
Figure 8 PS |
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figure9.pdf |
Figure 9 |
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figure6.psd |
Figure 6 PS |
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figure10.pdf |
Figure 10 |
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figure10.psd |
Figure 10 PS |
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figure9.psd |
Figure 9 PS |
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figures1.psd |
Figure 11 PS |
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figures2.psd |
Figure 12 PS |
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figures3.psd |
Figure 13 PS |
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figures4.psd |
Figure 14 PS |
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figures6.psd |
Figure 16 PS |
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figures7.psd |
Figure 17 PS |
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figures8.psd |
Figure 18 PS |
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figures9.psd |
Figure 19 PS |
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figures10.psd |
Figure 20 PS |
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figures5.psd |
Figure 15 PS |
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figures12.psd |
Figure 22 PS |
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figures11.psd |
Figure 21 PS |
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figures13.psd |
Figure 23 PS |
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figures14.psd |
Figure 24 PS |
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figures15.psd |
Figure 25 PS |
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figures17.psd |
Figure 27 PS |
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figures16.psd |
Figure 26 PS |
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figures18.psd |
Figure 28 PS |
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figures19.psd |
Figure 29 PS |
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figures20.psd |
Figure 30 PS |
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figures22.psd |
Figure 32 PS |
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figures21.psd |
Figure 31 PS |
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angelou_stack_24mpp_readme.txt |
README file for Angelou's USGS ISIS data cube. |
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bechet_stack_32mpp_readme.txt |
README file for Bechet's USGS ISIS data cube. |
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ensor_stack_38mpp_readme.txt |
README file for Ensor's USGS ISIS data cube. |
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jimenez_stack_40mpp_readme.txt |
README file for Jimenez' USGS ISIS data cube. |
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josetsu_stack_51mpp_readme.txt |
README file for Josetsu's USGS ISIS data cube. |
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wacb_responsivity_corrections_readme.txt |
Explanation of the image-processing corrections made to the WAC broadband images in this study. |
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table1.txt |
Table 1 |
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tables1.txt |
Table 2 |
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fuller_stack_38mpp.cub |
USGS ISIS data cube for Fuller. |
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josetsu_stack_51mpp.cub |
USGS ISIS data cube for Josetsu. |
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desprez_stack_25mpp.cub |
USGS ISIS data cube for Desprez. |
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figure12.pdf |
Figure 12 |
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figure13.pdf |
Figure 13 |
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figure14.pdf |
Figure 14 |
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figure15.pdf |
Figure 15 |
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figure16.pdf |
Figure 16 |
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figure17.pdf |
Figure 17 |
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figure18.pdf |
Figure 18 |
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figure19.pdf |
Figure 19 |
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figure20.pdf |
Figure 20 |
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figure21.pdf |
Figure 21 |
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figure22.pdf |
Figure 22 |
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figure23.pdf |
Figure 23 |
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figure24.pdf |
Figure 24 |
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figure25.pdf |
Figure 25 |
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figure11.pdf |
Figure 11 |
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figure27.pdf |
Figure 27 |
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figure28.pdf |
Figure 28 |
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figure29.pdf |
Figure 29 |
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figure26.pdf |
Figure 26 |
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figure30.pdf |
Figure 30 |
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figure32.pdf |
Figure 32 |
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figure31.pdf |
Figure 31 |
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desprez_stack_25mpp_readme.pdf |
README file for Desprez USGS ISIS data cube. |
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fuller_stack_38mpp_readme.pdf |
README file for Fuller USGS ISIS data cube. |
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laxness_stack_46mpp_readme.pdf |
README file for Laxness USGS ISIS data cube. |
