首页 | 本学科首页   官方微博 | 高级检索  
     检索      


The Coprates trough assemblage: More evidence for martian polar wander
Authors:David C McAdoo  Joseph A Burns
Institution:Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y. USA
Abstract:Martian surface features such as quasi-circular structures in polar regions have been previously cited as evidence of polar wander (i.e., large-scale relative motion between a body-fixed axis and the rotation pole). Another feature, the Coprates (Valles Marineris) trough assemblage, is proposed as further, plausible evidence of such wander. This trough assemblage is explained as a failure due to curvature changes in Mars' lithosphere, in the manner of certain hypotheses explaining terrestrial features (e.g. East African Rift System). In the Earth's case plate tectonics cause lithospheric curvature changes, whereas, in Mars' case polar wander is most probable. Membrane stresses which can reach 10 kbars are shown to most likely over-shadow bending stresses. Flattening changes are judged to be inappropriate. Simple wander scenarios are constructed to illustrate the hypothesis.
Keywords:
本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录!
设为首页 | 免责声明 | 关于勤云 | 加入收藏

Copyright©北京勤云科技发展有限公司  京ICP备09084417号