This is a Snowstorm I Wouldn't Want to be Caught IN!

Fortunately for us, it is occuring deep inside Mercury. So what kind of a snowfall do scientists suspect is going on? According to recent research "new scientific evidence suggests that deep inside Mercury, iron "snow" forms and falls toward the center of the planet, much like snowflakes form in Earth's atmosphere and fall to the ground." This research was done at University of Illinois and Case Western Reserve University. "In a paper published in the April issue of Geophysical Research Letters, the scientists describe laboratory measurements and models that mimic conditions believed to exist within Mercury's core."

In the 1970s, when Mariner 10 went by, a weak magnetic field was unexpectedly found. It was also found to have a much larger than expected iron core. Since then scientists have been working on theories to explain the discovery of the magnetic field.

Actually, the core isn't 100% iron. It is suspected that it has some sulfur as well. The presence of the sulfur lowers the melting point of iron.

"Recent Earth-based radar measurements of Mercury's rotation revealed a slight rocking motion that implied the planet's core is at least partially molten,' said Illinois graduate student Bin Chen, the paper's lead author. 'But, in the absence of seismological data from the planet, we know very little about its core.'"

Using a multi-anvil apparatus, they tested the "the melting behavior of an iron-sulfur mixture at high pressures and high temperatures." "In each experiment, an iron-sulfur sample was compressed to a specific pressure and heated to a specific temperature. The sample was then quenched, cut in two, and analyzed with a scanning electron microscope and an electron probe microanalyzer."

So, what did they find? "As the molten, iron-sulfur mixture in the outer core slowly cools, iron atoms condense into cubic "flakes" that fall toward the planet's center, Chen said. As the iron snow sinks and the lighter, sulfur-rich liquid rises, convection currents are created that power the dynamo and produce the planet's weak magnetic field." It is supected that this "snowfall" occurs in 2 distinct zones. This is considered to be unique in terrestrial planets & earth-like moons in our Solar System.

" Mercury's snowing core opens up new scenarios where convection may originate and generate global magnetic fields,' said University of Illinois geology professor Jie (Jackie) Li. 'Our findings have direct implications for understanding the nature and evolution of Mercury's core, and those of other planets and moons.'"

"'Our findings provide a new context into which forthcoming observational data from NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft can be placed,' Li said. 'We can now connect the physical state of our innermost planet with the formation and evolution of terrestrial planets in general.'"

Everytime acientists make a new discovery about our Solar System I see more evidence that none of this happenned by chance. We learn more & more about how God ordered things. & we see more & more the glory of God declared is declared by the heavens (See Psalm 19).

Iron 'snow' helps maintain Mercury's magnetic field