The mechanical and thermal structure of Mercury's early lithosphere

Thomas R. Watters, Richard A. Schultz, Mark S. Robinson, Anthony C. Cook

doi:10.1029/2001gl014308

The mechanical and thermal structure of Mercury's early lithosphere

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Thomas R. Watters

Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, National Air and Space Museum Smithsonian Institution Washington, DC USA
Richard A. Schultz

Department of Geological Sciences, Mackay School of Mines University of Nevada Reno USA
Mark S. Robinson

Department of Geological Sciences Northwestern University Evanston Illinois USA
Anthony C. Cook

Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, National Air and Space Museum Smithsonian Institution Washington, DC USA

書誌事項

公開日: 2002-06

権利情報

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor

DOI

10.1029/2001gl014308

公開者: American Geophysical Union (AGU)

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説明

<jats:p>Insight into the mechanical and thermal structure of Mercury's early lithosphere has been obtained from forward modeling of the largest lobate scarp known on the planet. Our modeling indicates the structure overlies a thrust fault that extends deep into Mercury's lithosphere. The best‐fitting fault parameters are a depth of faulting of 35 to 40 km, a fault dip of 30° to 35°, and a displacement of ∼2 km. The Discovery Rupes thrust fault probably cut the entire elastic and seismogenic lithosphere when it formed (∼4.0 Gyr ago). On Earth, the maximum depth of faulting is thermally controlled. Assuming the limiting isotherm for Mercury's crust is ∼300° to 600°C and it occurred at a depth of ∼40 km, the corresponding heat flux at the time of faulting was ∼10 to 43 mW m<jats:sup>−2</jats:sup>. This is less than old terrestrial oceanic lithosphere but greater than the present heat flux on the Moon.</jats:p>