Editing MESSENGER (section)

==== [[X-ray spectroscopy|X-Ray Spectrometer]] (XRS) ====
[[File:MESSENGER - XRS.jpg|thumb|200px|X-Ray spectrometer]]

Mapped mineral composition within the top millimeter of the surface on Mercury by detecting [[X-ray]] [[spectral line]]s from [[magnesium]], [[aluminum]], [[sulphur]], [[calcium]], [[titanium]], and iron, in the 1–10&nbsp;[[electronvolt|keV]] range.<ref name='XRSDescription'>{{cite journal | title = The X-Ray Spectrometer on the MESSENGER Spacecraft | journal = Space Science Reviews | date = 2007 | first = Charles | last = Schlemm | author2 = Richard D. Starr| author3 = George C. Ho| author4 = Kathryn E. Bechtold| author5 = Sarah A. Hamilton| author6 = John D. Boldt| author7 = William V. Boynton| author8 = Walter Bradley| author9 = Martin E. Fraeman | author10 = Robert E. Gold| display-authors = etal | volume = 131 | issue = 1 | pages = 393–415| doi=10.1007/s11214-007-9248-5|bibcode = 2007SSRv..131..393S | s2cid = 123515990 }}</ref><ref name="NSSDCXRS">{{cite web |url= https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/experiment/display.action?id=2004-030A-03|title= X-ray Spectrometer (XRS)|publisher= NASA / National Space Science Data Center|access-date= February 19, 2011}}</ref>

Objectives:<ref name='XRSDescription'/>
* Determine the history of the formation of Mercury
* Characterize the composition of surface elements by measuring the X-ray emissions induced by the incident [[solar flux]].

:<small>''Principal investigator: George Ho / APL''</small>