Author
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Topic: Article: Mercury Discovered to Have Volcanic History
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LoadedPistil Knowflake Posts: 843 From: NJ, USA Registered: Feb 2014
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posted April 03, 2014 08:10 PM
Until recently, Mercury was not believed to contain the volatile elements required for making violent volcanic explosions. New data from the MESSENGER spacecraft has shown that this was not always the case. Not only was Mercury rife with volcanic activity early in the planet’s history, but it lasted much longer than anyone would have expected. The research comes from lead author Timothy Goudge from Brown University and was published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets. Earth is filled with chemicals like water and carbon dioxide which have relatively low boiling points and facilitate volcanic explosions. As they get cycled through with lava and get closer to the surface, they change from liquid to gas and expand, building up pressure. Eventually, the pressure just becomes too great, and the gasses and lava explode into an eruption. Mercury, on the other hand, has not been thought to be as geologically exciting. When NASA’s MESSENGER probe began returning info about Mercury in 2008, scientists began to get the first clues of how dynamic the planet really is, or at least how it was. Some of the first images from the spacecraft revealed ash that is characteristic of volatile volcanic explosions. While it was then clear that Mercury had volcanic activity at one point, there was not yet enough information about the duration of that activity. The ash could have accumulated over long periods of volcanic activity, or there could have been a short-yet-hectic time period in which the volatile elements caused these eruptions on Mercury’s surface. Goudge’s team focused on 51 sites that had this characteristic pyroclastic ash by analyzing the images and data collected from spectrometers. The team noted that not all of the vents had experienced the same level of erosion, indicating that this activity did not occur in a short, chaotic period. In fact, after using the erosion to estimate the age of the vents, some were only 3.5-1 billion years old. Because Mercury itself is 4.5 billion years old, this means that Mercury spent much of its existence as a very volatile place with large amounts of the gases that cause those explosive eruptions. Understanding the former volcanic activity could give clues to how the first planet formed. Mercury’s iron core is much larger than what would be expected for a planet of that size. This has led some to believe that Mercury used to be much larger than it is now. The loss of its size could have been due to a massive collision, or perhaps the intense radiation from the sun could have blown the outer layers off over time. If this turns out to be the case, it would explain why Mercury no longer has the volatiles that are necessary for explosive volcanic activity. - See more at: http://www.iflscience.com/space/scientists-discover-evidence-mercury%E2%80%99s-explosive-volcanic-history#sthash.yo4YPgTa.dpuf ------------------ Leo ♌️ Sun, (2nd House), Venus (3nd House) Scorpio ♏ Moon,Mars,Saturn (5th House) Cancer ♋ Rising Svātī Nakshatra IP: Logged |
Kerosene Knowflake Posts: 9827 From: Mercury Registered: Dec 2012
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posted April 03, 2014 08:11 PM
THANKS FOR HELPING ME AGAIN WITH MY HW.Hmmm we did not learn about this it must be a recent discovery btw my mercury energy really likes you.... IP: Logged |
LoadedPistil Knowflake Posts: 843 From: NJ, USA Registered: Feb 2014
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posted April 03, 2014 08:13 PM
I see some things never change. Everyone runs to me with their homework problems. How sweet *giggles* ...and you've seen my face, so that helps. ------------------ Leo ♌️ Sun, (2nd House), Venus (3rd House) Scorpio ♏ Moon,Mars,Saturn (5th House) Cancer ♋ Rising Svātī Nakshatra IP: Logged |
Kerosene Knowflake Posts: 9827 From: Mercury Registered: Dec 2012
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posted April 03, 2014 08:24 PM
Oh yeah I said I liked you hair right?wait that happens in rl too, LOL Probably cause you randomly post article to educate us on astronomy... but It's cool when people can tell you random factoids. I'm so mercurian though I have the biggest crush on my tutor.... I'm like yasss tutor me while I imagine throwing everything off this desk and jumping on top of you.. It's funny because when it come to normal flirting and some point Im like you nasty, chill... But just the subtle interactions are perfect. IP: Logged |
LoadedPistil Knowflake Posts: 843 From: NJ, USA Registered: Feb 2014
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posted April 03, 2014 08:33 PM
I had a professor with a Romanian accent. I know the feeling ------------------ Leo ♌️ Sun, (2nd House), Venus (3nd House) Scorpio ♏ Moon,Mars,Saturn (5th House) Cancer ♋ Rising Svātī Nakshatra IP: Logged |
Solar_Leo_Queen Knowflake Posts: 884 From: Planet Earth Registered: Jan 2014
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posted April 03, 2014 10:56 PM
This article has just caught my curious Virgo mercury lol. I totally agree on that theoretical statement about the Sun burning off the outer layers of Mercury. It makes sense, but more evidence would be required to prove it.IP: Logged |
LoadedPistil Knowflake Posts: 843 From: NJ, USA Registered: Feb 2014
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posted April 03, 2014 11:20 PM
Solar, your chart sounds so similar to mine!!! Would you mind posting it? ------------------ Leo ♌️ Sun, (2nd House), Venus (3nd House) Scorpio ♏ Moon,Mars,Saturn (5th House) Cancer ♋ Rising Svātī Nakshatra IP: Logged |
Solar_Leo_Queen Knowflake Posts: 884 From: Planet Earth Registered: Jan 2014
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posted April 03, 2014 11:26 PM
quote: Originally posted by LoadedPistil: Solar, your chart sounds so similar to mine!!! Would you mind posting it?
Okay, here it is: Do you have like an intercepted sign or something? IP: Logged |
LoadedPistil Knowflake Posts: 843 From: NJ, USA Registered: Feb 2014
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posted April 03, 2014 11:35 PM
So many similarities. Mercury in Virgo also. People say I sound like a recording on the phone. Do you get that? ------------------ Leo ♌️ Sun, (2nd House), Venus (3nd House) Scorpio ♏ Moon,Mars,Saturn (5th House) Cancer ♋ Rising Svātī Nakshatra IP: Logged |
Solar_Leo_Queen Knowflake Posts: 884 From: Planet Earth Registered: Jan 2014
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posted April 03, 2014 11:53 PM
^^ No, not really. I'm always nervous to talk on the phone. I think that's my Gemini acting out. You probably don't get as nervous as me because Gemini is intercepted in your chart. But people have told me that I write and talk in a very professional manner--face to face, that is. I have trouble with non-personal forms of communication--like skyping and calling.IP: Logged |
LoadedPistil Knowflake Posts: 843 From: NJ, USA Registered: Feb 2014
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posted April 04, 2014 12:04 AM
INTERESTING!!!! Thank you!!------------------ Leo ♌️ Sun, (2nd House), Venus (3nd House) Scorpio ♏ Moon,Mars,Saturn (5th House) Cancer ♋ Rising Svātī Nakshatra IP: Logged |
themischievousone Knowflake Posts: 415 From: Registered: Feb 2013
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posted April 05, 2014 02:05 AM
The early degree virgo and late degree leo in those charts. <3I too like reading the articles and studies you post. IP: Logged |
LoadedPistil Knowflake Posts: 843 From: NJ, USA Registered: Feb 2014
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posted April 05, 2014 10:19 AM
quote: Originally posted by themischievousone: The early degree virgo and late degree leo in those charts. <3I too like reading the articles and studies you post.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you! ------------------ Leo ♌️ Sun, (2nd House), Venus (3nd House) Scorpio ♏ Moon,Mars,Saturn (5th House) Cancer ♋ Rising Svātī Nakshatra IP: Logged |