Visible to near-infrared hyperspectral measurements of mercury: Challenges for deciphering surface mineralogy

The surface of Mercury has long been known to be low in ferrous iron. Spectral reflectance data from the MESSENGER spacecraft do not show a ferrous absorption band near 1 μm, complicating mineralogical analysis of Mercury's surface. With careful calibration, however, these data can yield new constraints on the maximum amount of ferrous iron that can be present in the silicates.