Nature Astronomy, Published online: 08 September 2026; doi:10.1038/s41550-026-02914-6 BepiColombo’s flyby at just 165 km from Mercury observed sustained precipitation of energetic solar protons and electrons onto the planet’s surface, with potentially long-term impact on its weathering and mineralogy.
Planetary shielding and surface precipitation of solar energetic particles during BepiColombo’s close Mercury flyby
Juhani Huovelin