N93"14373 : ,' Atmospheric Density, Collapse of Near-Rim Ejecta Into a Flow Crudely MAGELLAN PROJECT PROGRESS REPORT
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106 lnternational Colloquium on Venus ment as observed on Venus [5,6]. Such a process accounts for the results in late-stage reworking, if not self-destruction, of ejecta long run-out flows consistently originating downrange in oblique faciescmplaced earlier.Surfaceexpressionshould includebedforrns impacts (i.e., oplmsite the missing ejecta sector) even if uphill from (e.g., meter-scale dunes and decicentlmeter-scale ripples) reflect- the crater rim. Atmospheric mflxflence and recovery winds deeoupled hag eddies created in the boundary layer at the surface. Because from the gradient-controlled basal run-out flow continues down- radar imaging indicates small-scale surface roughness (as well as range and produces wind streaks in the Ice of topographic highs. resolved surface features), regions affected by such long-lived low- Turbulence accompanying the basal density flows may also produce energy processes can extend to enormous distances. Such areas are wind streak patterns. Uprange the atmosphere is drawn in behind the not directly related to ejecta emplacement but reflect the almo- f'_reball(and enhancedby the impinging impactor wake), resulting spheric equivalent to distant seismic waves in the target. Late-stage in strong winds that will last at least as long as the time for crater atmospheric processes also include interactions with upper-level formation (i.e., minutes). Such winds can entrain and saltate surface winds. Deflection of the winds around the advancing/expanding materials as observed in laboratory experiments [2,3] and inferred fireball creates a parabolic-shaped interface aloft. This is preserved from large transverse dunes uprange on Venus [2]. in the fall-out of f'mer debris for impacts directed into the winds aloft Atmospheric Effects on Ballistic EJecta: Even on Venus, (from the west) but self-destructs if the impact is directed with the target debris will be ballistically ejected and form a conical ejecta wind. Exception to this rule occurs for larger crater (>60 kin) curtain until its outward advance is decelerated by the atmosphere. sufficient to interrupt the flow pattern not only by the fireball but The well-defined, radial ejecta delineating the uprange missing also by the ejectacurtain. ejecta sector of craters formed by oblique impacts demonstrate References: [l] SchultzP. H. and Gault D. E. (1990) InGSA ballistic control of ejection. As the inclined ejecta curtain advances Spec. Pap. 247 (V. L. Sharpton and P. D. Ward, cds.),239-261. outward, however, it creates turbulent vortices, which have been [2]SchultzP.H. (1992)JGR, inpress.[3]SchultzP.H. (1992)JGR, observed in the laboratory experiments [2] and modeled theoreti- inpress,[.4]Ivanov B. A. ctal.(1986)Proc.LPSC 16th,inJGR, 91, cally [7].The ejectacurtaingradually becomes more verticalin D413---IM30.[5] Schultz P. H. (1991) Eos, 73, 288. [6] Phillips response to atmospheric resistance.Thc atmospheric density is R. J. ct al.0991) Science,252, 288-296. [7] Barnouin O. and sufficienttodeceleratemeter-sizedejectatoterminalvelocities[8] SchultzP.H. (1992)LPSCXXIII, 65-66. [8]SchultzP.H. and Gauh thatwillbcentrainedinand drivenby response winds inducedby the D. E. (1979)JGR, 84, 7669-7687. [9] SchultzP. H. ct al.(1981) outward-moving curtain.While largercjcctaarcdeposited,smaller In Mulli-Ring Basins, Proc. LPS 12A (P. H. Schultz et al., eds.), size fractions become entrained in an outward ejecta flow. Based on 181-195, Pergamon, New York. [10] B arnouin O. and Schultz P. H. diversion of such flows by low-relief barriers near the rims of (1992) LPSC XXIII, 65--66. [11] Schultz P. H., this volume. craters, the transition from ballistic to nonballistic emplacement [12] Jones E. M. and San ford M. T. Il (1982) In GSA Spec. Pap. 190 occurs within about 0.5 crater radii of the rim. This observation (L. Silver and P. Schuhz, eds.), 175-186. [13] Schultz P. H. (1992) underscores the fact that dynamic atmospheric pressure signifi- JGR, in press. [14] Schultz P. H. and Gault D. E. (1982) In GSA cantly restricts outward advance of the ejecta curtain. The scaled Spec. Pap. 190 (L. Silver and P. Schultz, eds.), 153-174. [15] Post run-out distance (distance from the crater rim scaled to crater R. L. (1974) AlzWL-TR-74-51. _ ^ diameter, D) of the ejecta flow should decrease on Venus as D --°-5, unless consumed by crater rim collapse. Because of the high I N93"14373 : ,' atmospheric density, collapse of near-rim ejecta into a flow crudely MAGELLAN PROJECT PROGRESS REPORT. J.F. Scott, resembles an avalanche comprised of coarse debris and blocks. But D. G. Griffith, J. M. Gurm, R. G. Piereson, J. M. Stewart, A. M. high winds and turbulence created by the outward-moving curtain Tavormina, and T. W. Thompson, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, separate during terminal emplacement of the inner flow, thereby California Institute of Technology, Pasadena CA 91109, USA. winnowing the finer fractions and creating an overrtuming turbidity flow that continues outward. The Magellan spacecraft was placed into orbit around Venus on Turbidity flows containing finer fractions can extend to much August 10, 1990 and started radar data acquisition on September 15, larger distances until turbulence supporting entrained debris no 1990. Since then, Magellan has completed mapping over 2.75 longer can support the load. Because turbulent wind velocities rotations of the planet (as of mid-July 1992). Synthetic aperture greatly exceed ambient surface winds, such vortices are also capable radar (SAR), altimetry, and radiometry observations have covered of mobilizing surface materials. It is suggested that the radar-dark 84% of the surface during the f'LrSt mission cycle from mid- lobes extending beyond the inner radar-bright ejecta [2,6] reflect September 1990 through mid-May 1991. this process. In addition, many craters are surrounded by a very Operations in the second mission cycle from mid-May 1991 diffuse boundary that masks low-relief ridges and fractures; this through mid-January 1992 emphasized filling the larger gaps (the boundary may indicate the limits of a third stage of flow separation south polar region and a superior conjunction) from that first cycle. and deposition. The observed radar-dark signature requires such An Orbit Trim Maneuver (OTM) was performed at the beginning of ejecta to be less than a few centimeters. In eon_ast with the coarse, cycle 2 in order to interleave altimeter footprints at periapsis. This radar-bright inner facies, the outer radar-dark facies will be more yielded better altimetric sampling of the equatorial regions of susceptible to later erosion by ambient or other impact-generated Venus. Some 94% of the planet was mapped at the end of mission winds because the size fractions were sorted by a similar process. cycle 2. This is consistent with observed removal or reworking of craters Observations in the third mission cycle from mid-January to believed to be old, based on superposed tectonic features. mid-September 1992 emphasized reimaging of areas covered in Late Recovery Winds (Secondary Effects of Atmospheric cycle 1 and cycle 2 such that digital stereo and digital terrain data Turbulence): On planets without atmospheres, the effects of products can be produced. A tzansponder anomaly in January 1992 early, high-speed ejecta and impactor are typically lost. On Venus, (just before mission cycle 3 started) forced the project to use a radar however, the dense atmosphere not only contains this energy data downlink of 115 Kbs instead of 268 Kbs. Although data fraction, but the long recovery time of the atmosphere (Fig. lb) acquisition is curtailed, some 30--40% of the planet will be mapped LPI Contribution No. 789 107 MAGELLAN MISSION TIMELINE scale volcanism forming edifices, Western Eisda Regio and Bell Regio, where zones of extension and rifting are less developed. ( ,.,0 ( ,., I '-' 1 ,-_ 7 Within this second class of features the edifices are typically found at the end of a single rift, or are associated with a linear belt of _-15-'_ 5-t_gt t'-15-92 .D-14-SZ $-15-93 deformation [1,2]. In this paper, we examine the geologic character- co_u_rto.s ,sC I •tC vSC ' vie' I 11-01._0 t 1-23-II _ 6-14-g2 J-01-93 istics of the tectonic junction at Afla Regio, concentrating on documenting the styles ofvoleanlsm and assessing mechanisms for the formation of regional topography. I4APFtNG RT(COhtSTkN_ILoOK RADAR MASTEREO"..... _ ! ACOUI_T1Ofl CLOSEOU1 Topographic and Geologic Characteristics of Aria Reglo: Ada Regio is a 1000-kin x 1000-kin highland centct_ near 4°N, E_rENTS • ALTIMETRY VTRANSPONOEA _GRAVlrTy 200 ° and is a broad rise reaching an elevation of 3.0 km (all i ORBrr-TI_M ANOMALY i OflBflr'TRIM SCtlENI_E REPORTS • 454_AY ! _ SIX.MONTH GLO(3AL V elevations are referenced to a planetary radius of 6051.0 kin) (Fig. REPORTi i i GEOPHYStCS! 1). The relationship between chasmata (rifts) and volcanic features forms a pattern similar to that observed at Beta Rcgio, distinguish- Fig. I. ing Atla as a major tectonic junction [3,4,5]. In addition, Pioneer Venus gravity data show this highland to have a substantial gravity anomaly, centered at Ozza Mons, along with a corresponding large in cycle 3. Some 98% of the planet will bc mapped at the end of apparent depth of isostatic compensation (>200 kin) [6,7]. Interpre- mission cycle 3. Planned observations in the fourth mission cycle from mid- tations from these data suggest that like Beta Regio, Atla Regio is most likely a site of mantle upwclling. September 1992 through mid-May 1993 will emphasize high- resolution gravity observations of the equatorial regions of Venus. Magellan altimeuy data provide the first detailed coverage of the topography of Afla Regio (Fig. 1). The regional rise has gentle A second Orbit Trim Maneuver (OTM) at the beginning of this slopes (0.1° to 0.2°), reaching its highest point at Ozza Mons, a 7.5- mission cycle will lower periapsis to below 200 km to improve the kin-high peak.