RT Journal Article
T1 Insolation driven variations of Mercury’s lithospheric strength
A1 Williams, Jean-Pierre
A1 Ruiz Pérez, Javier
A1 Rosenburg, Margaret A.
A1 Aharonson, Oded
A1 Phillips, Roger J
AB Mercury’s coupled 3:2 spin‐orbit resonance in conjunction with its relatively higheccentricity of ∼0.2 and near‐zero obliquity results in both a latitudinal and longitudinalvariation in annual average solar insolation and thus equatorial hot and cold regions.This results in an asymmetric temperature distribution in the lithosphere and a longwavelength lateral variation in lithosphere structure and strength that mirrors the insolationpattern. We employ a thermal evolution model for Mercury generating strength envelopesof the lithosphere to demonstrate and quantify the possible effects the insolation patternhas on Mercury’s lithosphere. We find the heterogeneity in lithosphere strength issubstantial and increases with time. We also find that a crust thicker than that of the Moonor Mars and dry rheologies for the crust and mantle are favorable when compared withestimates of brittle‐ductile transition depths derived from lobate scarps. Regions ofstronger and weaker compressive strength imply that the accommodation of radialcontraction of Mercury as its interior cooled, manifest as lobate scarps, may not beisotropic, imparting a preferential orientation and distribution to the lobate scarps.
PB American Geophysical Union
SN 0148-0227
YR 2011
FD 2011
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/42353
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/42353
LA eng
DS Docta Complutense
RD 30 abr 2024