Hollows on Mercury: A Comprehensive Analysis of Spatial Patterns and Their Relationship to Craters and Structures
Abstract Hollows on Mercury are small (hundreds of meters ‐ few kilometers), shallow (tens of meters), irregular depressions typically found in clusters, often associated with impact craters, and likely formed by the loss of volatile materials. While their exact formation process remains debated, va...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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American Geophysical Union (AGU)
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Earth and Space Science |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2024EA003854 |
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| author | Barbara De Toffoli Valentina Galluzzi Matteo Massironi Sebastien Besse Gene Walter Schmidt Oceane Barraud Salvatore Buoninfante Pasquale Palumbo |
| author_facet | Barbara De Toffoli Valentina Galluzzi Matteo Massironi Sebastien Besse Gene Walter Schmidt Oceane Barraud Salvatore Buoninfante Pasquale Palumbo |
| author_sort | Barbara De Toffoli |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Hollows on Mercury are small (hundreds of meters ‐ few kilometers), shallow (tens of meters), irregular depressions typically found in clusters, often associated with impact craters, and likely formed by the loss of volatile materials. While their exact formation process remains debated, various hypotheses suggest sublimation or space weathering. In this study, we analyzed the global distribution of hollows, exploring their spatial patterns and relationships with key geological features. Our findings challenge the idea that hollows arise from a single volatile‐rich surface layer, suggesting instead that volatiles are dispersed throughout the crust. Hollows show no correlation with specific geological units or elevations, indicating no singular volatile source. Moreover, the transitory nature of hollows is suggested as they are rare in older, degraded craters but common in younger ones or older craters with deep‐seated features, hinting at a link to the reworking of materials through impacts or volcano‐tectonic activity. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a1226b51cf6d4a23abaf8b9915529e4e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2333-5084 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | American Geophysical Union (AGU) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Earth and Space Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-a1226b51cf6d4a23abaf8b9915529e4e2025-08-20T03:31:53ZengAmerican Geophysical Union (AGU)Earth and Space Science2333-50842024-12-011112n/an/a10.1029/2024EA003854Hollows on Mercury: A Comprehensive Analysis of Spatial Patterns and Their Relationship to Craters and StructuresBarbara De Toffoli0Valentina Galluzzi1Matteo Massironi2Sebastien Besse3Gene Walter Schmidt4Oceane Barraud5Salvatore Buoninfante6Pasquale Palumbo7INAF Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali Rome ItalyINAF Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali Rome ItalyDepartment of Geosciences Università Degli Studi di Padova Padova ItalyEuropean Space Agency (ESA) European Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC) Madrid SpainINAF Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali Rome ItalyInstitute for Planetary Research DLR Berlin GermanyINAF Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali Rome ItalyINAF Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali Rome ItalyAbstract Hollows on Mercury are small (hundreds of meters ‐ few kilometers), shallow (tens of meters), irregular depressions typically found in clusters, often associated with impact craters, and likely formed by the loss of volatile materials. While their exact formation process remains debated, various hypotheses suggest sublimation or space weathering. In this study, we analyzed the global distribution of hollows, exploring their spatial patterns and relationships with key geological features. Our findings challenge the idea that hollows arise from a single volatile‐rich surface layer, suggesting instead that volatiles are dispersed throughout the crust. Hollows show no correlation with specific geological units or elevations, indicating no singular volatile source. Moreover, the transitory nature of hollows is suggested as they are rare in older, degraded craters but common in younger ones or older craters with deep‐seated features, hinting at a link to the reworking of materials through impacts or volcano‐tectonic activity.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024EA003854mercuryhollowsglobal database |
| spellingShingle | Barbara De Toffoli Valentina Galluzzi Matteo Massironi Sebastien Besse Gene Walter Schmidt Oceane Barraud Salvatore Buoninfante Pasquale Palumbo Hollows on Mercury: A Comprehensive Analysis of Spatial Patterns and Their Relationship to Craters and Structures Earth and Space Science mercury hollows global database |
| title | Hollows on Mercury: A Comprehensive Analysis of Spatial Patterns and Their Relationship to Craters and Structures |
| title_full | Hollows on Mercury: A Comprehensive Analysis of Spatial Patterns and Their Relationship to Craters and Structures |
| title_fullStr | Hollows on Mercury: A Comprehensive Analysis of Spatial Patterns and Their Relationship to Craters and Structures |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hollows on Mercury: A Comprehensive Analysis of Spatial Patterns and Their Relationship to Craters and Structures |
| title_short | Hollows on Mercury: A Comprehensive Analysis of Spatial Patterns and Their Relationship to Craters and Structures |
| title_sort | hollows on mercury a comprehensive analysis of spatial patterns and their relationship to craters and structures |
| topic | mercury hollows global database |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2024EA003854 |
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