By observing the fluorescence X-rays generated when solar-coronal X-rays and charged particles interact with the surface regolith, MIXS will be able to measure the atomic composition of the upper ∼10-20 μm of Mercury’s surface on the day-side.
The Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer is a highly novel instrument that is designed to map Mercury’s elemental composition from orbit at two angular resolutions. Space Science Reviews volume 216, Article number: 126 ( 2020) The BepiColombo Mercury Imaging X-Ray Spectrometer: Science Goals, Instrument Performance and Operations