000005262 001__ 5262
000005262 005__ 20210201174914.0
000005262 037__ $$aCTALK-2021-0040
000005262 100__ $$aSteinbrügge, Gregor
000005262 245__ $$aChallenges on Mercury’s interior structure
000005262 260__ $$c2020
000005262 269__ $$c2020-12-17
000005262 520__ $$aWe calculated interior structure models based on recent measurements of Mercury’s obliquity and tides. Our models are consistent with the mean density, the moment of inertia (MoI), the ratio of the mantle to whole planet MoI (Cm/C) of Mercury. Further, we consider the tidal Love number k2 and account for iron snow formation. For Mercury’s core, we consider Fe-S as well as Fe-Si compositions. The equation of state for Fe-S and Fe-Si have been derived from recent laboratory measurements presented in [1]. We confirm that models that match a MoI=0.346, as deduced from an ensemble of obliquity measurements [2,3] and used in previous studies [4,5], are generally compatible with our present-day view of Mercury. In contrast, models that match a MoI=0.333, based on a recent obliquity [6] measurement pose a challenge to our current understanding of Mercury. Specifically, they feature a mantle density below 3100 kg/m3 for most models, lower than expected for typical planetary mantle minerals, and core radii between 1960 and 1990 km, inconsistent with magnetic induction measurements [7]. In addition, models that have a MoI=0.333 and agree with the tidal Love number k2 require low viscosities in the lower mantle that are difficult to reconcile with possible thermal histories of Mercury due to high temperatures at the core–mantle boundary (CMB). Hence, the structure of Mercury’s interior remains ambiguous and still leaves room for speculation. Possible new constraints could come from thermal evolution models, further laboratory measurements, especially for Fe-Si compositions under Mercury core conditions or a more precise measurement of the geodetic constraints as envisioned by BepiColombo mission [8] which is currently on its way to Mercury.
000005262 536__ $$a3PRODPLANINT/$$c3PRODPLANINT/$$f3PRODPLANINT
000005262 594__ $$aNO
000005262 700__ $$aDumberry, Mathieu
000005262 700__ $$aRivoldini, Attilio
000005262 700__ $$aSchubert, Gerald
000005262 700__ $$aCao, Hao
000005262 700__ $$aSchroeder, Dustin
000005262 700__ $$aSoderlund, Krista 
000005262 773__ $$tAGU Fall Meeting 2020, Virtual
000005262 8560_ $$fattilio.rivoldini@observatoire.be
000005262 85642 $$ahttps://agu.confex.com/agu/fm20/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/672886
000005262 906__ $$aContributed
000005262 980__ $$aCTALKCONT