Mercury's Core Dynamo Present Early in Planet's History (3 of 3) (IMAGE)

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Mercury's Core Dynamo Present Early in Planet's History (3 of 3)

Caption

This image shows schematic magnetic field lines (in white) from magnetized crustal rocks on Mercury. As t he MESSENGER spacecraft passed over a region of crustal magnetization , its Magnetometer measured small variations in the magnetic field (blue line ). Because the signals are small . they were observed only when MESSENGER was close to the planet .

Credit

Credit: NASA, University of British Columbia

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