Xerox University Microfilms 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 46106 77-26,957 CORDELL, Bruce Monteith, 1949* TECTONISM and the INTERIOR of MERCURY
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TECTONISM AND THE INTERIOR OF MERCURY Item Type text; Dissertation-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Cordell, Bruce Monteith, 1949- Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 10/10/2021 18:31:37 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/289613 INFORMATION TO USERS This material was produced from a microfilm copy of the original document. While the most advanced technological means to photograph and reproduce this document have been used, the quality is heavily dependent upon the quality of the original submitted. 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The University of Arizona, Ph.D., 1977 Physics, astronomy and astrophysics Xerox University Microfilms, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 TECTONISM AND THE INTERIOR OF MERCURY by Bruce Monteith Cordell A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF PLANETARY SCIENCES In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 19 7 7 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA. GRADUATE COLLEGE I hereby recommend that this dissertation prepared under my direction by Bruce Monteith Cordell entitled Tectonism and the Interior of Mercury be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 6r, -7| t?7 >7 Dissertation Director As members of the Final Examination Committee, we certify that we have read this dissertation and agree that it may be presented for final defense. \ V I . (O-Wt r( :vrr) 4 H, ^>7- £( > Final approval and acceptance of this dissertation is contingent on the candidate's adequate performance and defense thereof at the final oral examination. STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This dissertaion has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this dissertation are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduc tion of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the major department or the Dean of the Graduate College when in his judgment the proposed use of the material is in the interests of scholarship. In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from the author. SIGNED: . ssss _ /*• /_ t r\ A \ (/ x- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to thank Professor Robert Strom for suggesting this project and serving as the Dissertation Director. I also wish to thank Professors Charles Sonett, Bradford Smith, and John Stunner for serving on the Committee and making helpful comments. Dr. Alex Woronow was kind enough to read and criticize the dissertation. Thanks go to Miss Nancy Moore for transforming my scrawlings into a typed first draft. The last minute efforts of Mrs. Jackie Allen and Mr. Gil McLaughlin were indispensable and are much appreciated. Miss Lee Justice made enormous contributions to the completion of this project by totally distracting me whenever she was visible. Finally, I want to thank my parents for their constant encourage ment, interest, and enthusiasm. This research was supported by NASA Grant NGL 03-002-191. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS vi LIST OF TABLES viii ABSTRACT ix 1. INTRODUCTION '. 1 2. REVIEW OF MODERN KNOWLEDGE AND HYPOTHESES 3 Fundamental Quantities 4 Dynamics 4 Atmosphere 8 Magnetic Field 9 Surface 12 Composition 20 Origin, Thermal History, Interior Structure 22 3. FUNDAMENTAL OBSERVATIONS OF GLOBAL TECTONISM ON MERCURY .... 27 Plate Tectonics 27 Mantle Plumes 28 Exterior Basin-Related Concentric Graben 29 Tensional Surface Features 29 Global Scarp System 30 The Lineament System 31 Summary 32 4. MODE OF FORMATION OF SCARPS AND LINEAMENTS 34 Morphology and Structure of Scarps 34 Evidence for the Tectonic Origin of Scarps 44 Evidence for the Thrust Fault Origin of Scarps 51 Lineament Morphology and Mode of Formation 59 5. ORIGIN OF SCARPS AND LINEAMENTS 65 Escarpments 65 Global Stress Field 65 Temporal Constraints 69 iv V TABLE OF CONTENTS—Continued Page Lineaments 75 Evaluation of Mechanisms for Scarp and Lineament Formation 76 Escarpments 78 Lineaments 80 Summary 82 6. CRUSTAL SHORTENING ON MERCURY 84 Determination of Crustal Shortening 85 Method 85 Heaves 86 Limits on Crustal Shortening 87 Planetary Radius Decrease and Implications 90 7. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PHYSICS OF THE INTERIOR 92 Constraints on Interior Processes 92 Evidence for a Metallic Core 93 Evidence for a Liquid Core . 94 Inhomogeneous Accretion of Mercury 99 Implications for Absence of Plumes and Plate Tectonics . 108 Summary 110 8. CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH 112 Origin and Evolution of Mercury: A Summary 112 Future Research 115 REFERENCES 116 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page 1. Generalized Geologic Terrain Map of Mercury 14 2. Incoming Hemisphere of Mercury 15 3. Outgoing Hemisphere of Mercury 16 4. Mosaic Showing the 1300KM Diameter Caloris Basin 18 5. Mercator Projection of the Imaged Portion of Mercury .... 19 6. View of Several Typical Lobate Scarps 35 7. Examples of the Smallest Scarps Observed on Mercury .... 37 8. Typical Appearance of a Small Scarp in High Resolution Imagery 39 9. View of a Moderate Sized Scarp 40 10. View of Santa Maria Scarp in the Intercrater Plains .... 42 11. Rectified Computer Mosaic of the Largest Known Scarp on Mercury — Discovery 43 12. Map of Locations and Dip Directions of Scarps on the Incoming Hemisphere of Mercury '48 13. Map of Locations and Dip Directions of Scarps on the Outgoing Hemisphere of Mercury 49 14. Map of Locations and Dip Directions of Scarps in the South Pole Region of Mercury 50 15. Latitude Distribution of Scarps on Mercury 52 16. Third Encounter View of Vostock Scarp 53 17. High Resolution View of the 60KM Crater Which Is Transected and Offset by Vostock Scarp 54 vi vii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS—Continued Figure Page 18. The Lunar Straight Wall Just East of the Crater Birt in Mare Nubium 57 19. Azimuthal Distribution of Mercurian Lineaments 60 20. Typical Examples of Linear Valleys: Arecibo (A) and Valley B 62 21. Mirni Ridge 63 22. Scarp Azimuth-Frequency Distribution 68 23. Length-Weighted Scarp Azimuth-Frequency Distribution .... 70 24. Map of Global Lineament Locations and Trends on the Incoming Hemisphere of Mercury 77 25. Scarp Size-Frequency Distribution 89 LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Physical Data for Mercury 5 2. Infinite Temperature Viscosity as a Ftanction of AT 47 viii ABSTRACT The surface expressions of global tectonism on Mercury are investigated and their implications for the planet's interior are explored. The Mariner 10 spacecraft imagery reveals essentially two systems of globally distributed lineaments: the lobate escarpments and the lunar-like lineaments. The dominant system consists of hundreds of lobate scarps, typically the order of 10 2 km long and 10 2 m in relief. About one-fourth of the scarps transect crater walls and are clearly of tectonic origin. Quantitative models of lava dynamics indicate the large vertical relief of most scarps would require unrealistically high viscosities for them to be viscous flow fronts. The horizontal displacement of a crater's wall by Vostock scarp is direct evidence for its thrust fault origin. Morpho logic evidence and models of thrust fault dynamics are consistent with a thrust fault origin for most of the scarps. The mercurian lineament system consists of polygonal crater walls, linear valleys, and ridges. Their azimuthal trends and morphol ogies resemble lineament systems on the moon and Mars. The mercurian lineaments are judged to be tectonic structures resulting from shear or tensional stresses. Superposition relations suggest that most scarps formed pre- Caloris (= 4 AE BP), and that the lineaments were formed prior to the scarps. The fairly uniform, global distribution of scarps indicates that ix X their generating stress field was also global in influence.