Modelled temperature profiles for the observed area for MERTIS during the 5th flyby of BepiColombo

Kurzfassung

Mercury is a fascinating planet for thermal modelers. With extreme temperatures ranging from 100 K at night to over 700 K during the day [1, 2], and its 3:2 spin-orbit resonance with the sun [3], modelling Mercury’s thermal environment presents a unique challenge. Because of its proximity to the Sun and the orbit-spin resonance, Mercury also experiences differences in regional temperature identified as “hot” and “cold” poles. Various factors influence the temperature on Mercury’s surface like the albedo variation of impact craters, topography, surface morphology, distance to the sun, density and conduction of the material etc. Over the years, many studies have attempted to model the thermal properties of Mercury, often by using the Moon as a reference due to both being an airless body [4, 5]. From Mariner 10 to BepiColombo, the accuracy of these thermal models for Mercury has significantly improved, thanks to mission data. However, due to limited knowledge about the surface composition and other constraints, thermal models still require further refinement. In this study, we present a thermal model aimed at improving our understanding of Mercury’s local temperature behavior, ahead of MERTIS’s arrival at Mercury.