The spectral characterization of the Ribbeck Aubrite as Mercury analog

Kurzfassung

The MErcury Radiometer and Thermal Infrared Spectrometer (MERTIS) of the BepiColombo mission has as main goal to characterize the Hermean surface mineralogy by measuring the spectral emissivity of Mercury’s surface with a spatial resolution of at least 500 mpp [1]. To prepare for the upcoming remote sensing measurements of MERTIS, analogue materials to simulate the expected mineralogy were selected and studied for its microscopical and spectral properties in our facilities at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the Museum für Naturkunde (MfN) in Berlin. To simulate the Mercury surface, the recently fallen Aubrite meteorite “Ribbeck” was selected, as this enstatite-rich material is highly reduced such as expected for the planet [2]. In this study, spectral analyses on a broad spectral range (VIS-VNIR-MIR) were performed on a fresh piece of Ribbeck. IR bulk and point-localized reflectance spectra were measured and compared to terrestrial mineral end-members. These results will be used as a baseline for understanding the lab and remote sensing spectra once the BepiColombo spacecraft reaches Mercury and MERTIS operates.