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Volcanism on Mercury

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Abstract

An interpretation of theMariner 10 pictures shows that volcanic plains are largely developed on Mercury, and old and young lava covers can be distinguished occupying no less than 15% of the photographed surface of this planet. Ten and a half volcanic features attributable tovolcanic domes are visible on the pictures, the largest of which being situated at the centre ofOdin Planitia and having a diameter of 7 km and a height of about 1.4 km. The domes have been mapped on a geologic-morphologic map of Mercury (Katterfeld, 1975).

The study of newly processed photographs of Mercury and of stereopair pictures of its volcanic «maria» has led to the discovery of a huge volcano at the centre of «Martis Mare» with 110 km long diameter and a double top caldera, the diameters of the external and internal crater being 60 and 40 km respectively. The coordinates of this volcano are 21°S and 124°W.

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Katterfeld, G.N. Volcanism on Mercury. Bull Volcanol 47, 531–535 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01961224

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01961224

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