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New research from NASA suggests that Mercury is shrinking and experiences seismic activity, joining Earth as the solar system’s other tectonically active planet.

Prior to crashing on Mercury, NASA’s MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft photographed the planet’s surface for the 18 months, reported Space.com, and found long cliffs. These cliffs, or scarps, suggests Mercury may experience seismic activity.

The researchers expect that seismic activity on Mercury is similar to the moon’s. The moon is a natural satellite, not a planet.

According to Space.com, the planet is still hot enough to keep contracting and have a molten outer core. That same core has helped sustain Mercury’s magnetic field for billions of years.

The findings, published in the October issue of Nature Geoscience, was managed by the John Hopkins University Physics Laboratory and funded by NASA.

RUNDOWN SHOWS:
1. Mercury’s contracting and size compared to Earth, the Moon and Mars
2. NASA Spacecraft observing surface of Mercury
3. Visualization of a planetary surface tremor and fracture
4. Mercury’s outer molten core and magnetic field

VOICEOVER (in English):
“Mercury is the smallest planet in our solar system, and new research from NASA suggests it might be getting smaller…

... as the space agency found that the planet is warm, tectonically active and shrinking.”

“Prior to crashing on Mercury, NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft photographed the planet’s surface for 18 months.”

“It found long cliffs, called ‘scarps,’ which suggest Mercury may experience seismic activity.”

“The researchers expect the seismic activity on Mercury to be similar to Earth’s moon.”

“According to Space.com, the planet is still hot enough to keep contracting and have a molten outer core.”

“That same core has helped sustain Mercury’s magnetic field for billions of years.”

SOURCES: NASA, Space.com, Weather
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