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Does Mercury have a molten coreA feasible nonseismic observational experiment is proposed for determining the existence and extent of a conducting molten core within Mercury. This experiment would utilize the effects of a liquid core on the dynamics of Mercury's rotation; two necessary conditions for performing it are that the core must not follow the mantle's forced librations in longitude but must follow the mantle on the timescale of the 250,000-yr precession. A method is developed by assuming these conditions to be satisfied, and bounds are established on the core viscosity for which they are satisfied. It is shown that the value of the ratio of the moment of inertia of the mantle to the largest principal moment of inertia of the entire planet would indicate whether the core is most probably solid, partially fluid, or entirely fluid. Techniques are suggested for determining the unknowns required to compute the necessary ratio.
Document ID
19760060658
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Peale, S. J.
(California, University Santa Barbara, Calif., United States)
Date Acquired
August 8, 2013
Publication Date
August 26, 1976
Publication Information
Publication: Nature
Volume: 262
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Exploration
Accession Number
76A43624
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NGR-05-010-062
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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