Thermal evolution of Mercury with a volcanic heat-pipe flux: Reconciling early volcanism, tectonism, and magnetism.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 34597128.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1126/sciadv.abh2482 and PMC identifier 10938533.
- Licence recorded as CC BY-NC.
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Abstract
Mercury’s early evolution is enigmatic, marked by widespread volcanism, contractional tectonics, and a magnetic field. Current models cannot reconcile an inferred gradual decrease in the rate of radial contraction beginning at ~3.9 billion years (Ga) with crustal magnetization indicating a dynamo at ~4 to 3.5 Ga and the production of extensive volcanism. Incorporating the strong cooling effects of mantle melting and effusive volcanism into an exhaustive thermal modeling study, here, we show that early, voluminous crustal production can drive a period of strong mantle cooling that both favors an ancient dynamo and explains the contractional history of the planet. We develop the first self-consistent model for Mercury’s early history and, more generally, propose an approach to assess the volcanic control over the evolution of any terrestrial planet or moon.