Al. Sprague et Tl. Roush, COMPARISON OF LABORATORY EMISSION-SPECTRA WITH MERCURY TELESCOPIC DATA, Icarus (New York, N.Y. 1962), 133(2), 1998, pp. 174-183
Thermal emission spectra from four locations on Mercury's surface are
compared with three new laboratory emission spectra: two spinels (gahn
ite and magnetite) and one carbonaceous chondrite (Allende), The miner
al and meteorite choices were made to investigate previously suggested
unique scenarios for the evolution of Mercury's surface. No resemblan
ce of the Mercury data were seen to the measured emission spectra, We
also compare Mercury spectra to a selection of inverted reflectance sp
ectra of feldspars, feldspathoids, Apollo 16 lunar breccias, nepheline
-bearing alkali syenite, and simple two-component Linear mixes of feld
spars and pyroxenes, The Mercury spectra obtained from locations cente
red near 40 degrees and 45 degrees mercurian longitude and equatorial
latitudes are concave upward in shape between 8 and 10 mu m like that
of nepheline but the emissivity maxima of the data occur at shorter wa
velength than any of the feldspathoids (nepheline, leucite, sodalite).
A good match of the wavelength position of Mercury's emissivity maxim
a is provided by the nepheline-bearing alkali syenite. Comparisons to
several feldspars in the plagioclase series, and plagioclase and pyrox
ene lunar breccia (67031 and 67455), and linear mixing models of plagi
oclase and pyroxene provide good matches to some features near similar
to 120 degrees and similar to 34 degrees mercurian longitude and equa
torial latitudes, More conclusive interpretation of these data from Me
rcury requires laboratory studies of emission spectra obtained specifi
cally for thermal and insolation conditions appropriate for airless bo
dies, (C) 1998 Academic Press.