BepiColombo exploration of a complex Hermean volcanic history

Dr. Sebastien Besse
European Space Astronomy Centre

The innermost planet of our Solar System is a rich and diverse environment despite its proximity to the Sun. Among many of the uniqueness of Mercury, we can name its active magnetic field and extremely dense interior. Mercury's surface shows tectonic features and mysterious hollows whose origin is still strongly debated. While Mercury does not have an atmosphere, its exosphere is an important link between the surface and the space environment. All these fascinating aspects of Mercury will be further analysed with the ambitious objectives of the ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission on its way to Mercury since 2018. The Mio spacecraft provided by JAXA will explore Mercury's environment while the MPO spacecraft provided by ESA will focus more on Mercury's surface. During this presentation, we will jointly explore the complexity of the BepiColombo mission, its scientific objectives and questions, and the opportunities for joined observations between the two spacecraft. Since not all of Mercury's science objectives can be covered in a reasonable amount of time, a focus on the Hermean volcanic environment will be a good proxy to demonstrate the importance of BepiColombo observations in further understanding the formation and evolution of Mercury.

Conference Hall (2nd floor/ Research and Administration Building A),　Via Zoom