Mercury’s global color mosaic: An update from MESSENGER’s orbital observations

AbstractWe report an update to the photometric correction used to produce global color mosaics of Mercury, derived from an analysis of photometric observations acquired during the orbital phase of MESSENGER’s primary mission. Comparisons between versions of the color mosaic produced with photometric corrections derived from flyby and orbital data indicate that areas imaged at high incidence and emission angles (>50°) are better standardized to a common illumination and viewing geometry with the orbit-derived corrections. Seams between images taken at very different illumination geometries, however, are still present at visually detectable levels. Further improvements to the photometric correction await updates to the radiometric calibration that will enable data retrieval over a larger range of photometric angles