What's happening to Mercury's surface?
The surface of the innermost planet in our solar system may have more going on than previously believed. Using before and after images collected by the Mercury Dual Imaging System researchers have identified twenty surface changes on Mercury that formed between 2011 and 2015. They identified at least one change likely caused by a newly formed impact crater with bright rays that extend away from the site. But if all the changes are from impact events, the present-day rate of space rocks slamming into Mercury would have to be 1,000 times higher than models predict. To solve this puzzle, the researchers also investigated other causes of the changes. For instance, several changes were on steep slopes near landforms, that suggest they are related to deeper changes in Mercury's crust. They also identified several changes in areas next to hollow formations. They hope to use images from different missions to continue exploring recent and ongoing changes to Mercury's surface.
Present Day Endogenic and Exogenic Activity on Mercury,
E. J. Speyerer, M. S. Robinson, A. J. Sonke [2022] Geophysical Research letters
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