Mid‐Infrared Spectroscopy of Feldspars From the Bühl Basalt (Northern Hesse, Germany) Formed Under Reducing Conditions as Terrestrial Analogue of Mercury for MERTIS

The MErcury Radiometer and Thermal Infrared Spectrometer instrument onboard the BepiColombo spacecraft is designed to investigate Mercury’s surface in mid-infrared (mid-IR). Based on MESSENGER data modeling, Mercury thought be evolved under highly reducing conditions (e.g., McCubbin et al., 2017, https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JE005367; Namur & Charlier, https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo2860). modeling also indicates that Mercury's rich feldspar. However, it unknown if during emplacement of volcanic melts have an influence IR properties feldspars. Therefore, we investigated basaltic samples from Bühl quarry northern Hesse, Germany, mid-IR compared spectra with experienced more oxidizing their formation. are feldspar-rich contain metallic iron some areas. Our investigations show there no differences between feldspars formed different conditions. All spectral could explained by well-known factors affect silicates.