NASA probe detects abundant chromium element in Mercury’s core

According to a study published in the Journal of Geophysical Research Planets, a team of scientists found that the planet Mercury harbors large amounts of the chemical element Chromium. To reach the conclusion, the researchers used data collected by the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry, and Range (MESSENGER) mission.

The MESSENGER probe was the first probe to orbit Mercury between 2011 and 2015, collecting various data on its magnetic field, geological and chemical composition. A team of scientists from Arizona State University in the United States, used this data to map and measure the amount of chromium found on Mercury’s surface..

According to study leader and Arizona State University Larry Nittler, when examining the data, it was possible to discern that Mercury also contains chromium in its metallic core. According to another study author and Asmaa Boujibar of Western Washington University, the study model confirms that: Most of the chromium is concentrated in Mercury’s core..

“This is the first time that chromium has been directly detected and mapped on any planetary surface. It can be in oxide, sulfide, or metallic minerals, depending on the amount of oxygen present, and by combining the data with the latest modeling, we can gain unique insights into Mercury’s origin and geological history,” Nittler said. said.

Chrome on Mercury

In addition to understanding some of the fundamental and geological compositional processes that occur on Mercury, The study noted that as the planet loses oxygen, more chromium forms in its core.

Anyway, scientists explain that it is not possible to compare the data obtained with the composition of rocks found on Earth. Instead, it is necessary to simulate a specific environment on the planet where there is no oxygen and other chemical elements.

“Our model, based on laboratory experiments, confirms that most of the chromium on Mercury is concentrated in its core. Because of Mercury’s unique composition and formation conditions, we cannot directly compare its surface composition with data from terrestrial rocks. Therefore,” Boujibar said, “the planet is formed differently from Earth or Mars. “It is necessary to conduct experiments that simulate the specific environment where there is a lack of oxygen,” he says.

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