2017/09/14 by A. N. Deutsch, G. A. Neumann, J. W. Head · 6 citations
Physics and Astronomy · Medicine · #Planetary Science and Exploration #Astro and Planetary Science #Spaceflight effects on biology
paper · doi:10.1002/2017gl074723
openalex publication_date 2017/09/14 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
Abstract The Mercury Laser Altimeter (MLA) measured surface reflectance, r s , at 1064 nm. On Mercury, most water‐ice deposits have anomalously low r s values indicative of an insulating layer beneath which ice is buried. Previous detections of surface water ice (without an insulating layer) were limited to seven possible craters. Here we map r s in three additional permanently shadowed craters that host radar‐bright deposits. Each crater has a mean r s value >0.3, suggesting that water ice is exposed at the surface without an overlying insulating layer. We also identify small‐scale cold traps (<5 km in diameter) where r s >0.3 and permanent shadows have biannual maximum surface temperatures <100 K. We suggest that a substantial amount of Mercury's water ice is not confined to large craters but exists within microcold traps, within rough patches and intercrater terrain.