TOPOGRAPHY OF LOBATE SCARPS ON MERCURY - NEW CONSTRAINTS ON THE PLANETS CONTRACTION

Citation
Tr. Watters et al., TOPOGRAPHY OF LOBATE SCARPS ON MERCURY - NEW CONSTRAINTS ON THE PLANETS CONTRACTION, Geology, 26(11), 1998, pp. 991-994
Citations number
44
Categorie Soggetti
Geology
Journal title
ISSN journal
00917613
Volume
26
Issue
11
Year of publication
1998
Pages
991 - 994
Database
ISI
SICI code
0091-7613(1998)26:11<991:TOLSOM>2.0.ZU;2-5
Abstract
Lobate scarps are landforms on Mercury that appear to have formed by t hrust faulting and are thought to reflect global contraction due to co oling of the planet's interior. Topographic data for 10 mercurian loba te scarps, derived from Mariner 10 images using photoclinometry and di gital stereoanalysis, indicate a range in maximum relief of 0.1 to 1.5 km and a range in horizontal shortening of 0.3 to 3.2 km, assuming fa ult-plane dips (theta) of 25 degrees. Previous estimates of cumulative compressional strain recorded in the lobate scarps suggest a decrease in Mercury's radius of 1 to 2 km. Our estimate of compressional strai n based on these new topographic measurements is similar to 0.056% (th eta = 25 degrees). This suggests that Mercury's radius decreased by <1 km.