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1.
Carl Bowin 《Icarus》1983,56(2):345-371
The gravity anomalies of Venus, although small by comparison with those on Mars and the Moon, are still much larger than those on Earth for large features. On Venus, even the low-degree spherical harmonic terms for Venus' gravity field indicate a close association of broad positive gravity anomalies with major topographic highs. This is striking contrast to the situation on Earth, where the broad regional gravity anomalies show little correlation with continental masses or plate tectonic features, but instead appear to be caused by deep mass anomalies.A method for estimating radial gravity anomalies from line-of-sight acceleration data, their interpolation, and use of iteration for improved radial anomaly estimates is outlined. A preliminary gravity anomaly map of Venus at spacecraft altitude prepared using first estimate values is presented. A profile across the western part of Aphrodite along longitude 85 E was analyzed using time-series techniques. An elastic plate model would require a plate thickness of about 180 to 200 km to match the general amplitude of the observed gravity anomaly (about 33 mgal): a thickness much greater than that found for earth structures and, because of high surface temperatures, unlikely for Venus. An Airy isostatic model convolved with the topography across Aphrodite, however, provides a better match between the predicted and observed gravity anomalies if the nominal crustal thickness is about 70 to 80 km. This thickness is over twice that for continental crust on the earth, and considerably greater than that of the earth's basaltic ocean crust (only 5 km). A different differentiation history for Venus than that of the earth thus is anticipated. High gravity anomalies (+110 mgal) occur over Beta Regio and over the topographic high in eastern Aphrodite; both highs are associated with regions where detected lightning is clustered, and thus the topographic features may be active volcanic constructs. The large gravity anomalies at these two sites of volcanic activity require an explanation different than that indicated for western Aphrodite.  相似文献   

2.
The data obtained for the heights of the relief and the external gravitational field of Venus for spherical harmonics with degree and order up to 18 allow one to start theoretical analysis of the crust-mantle boundary (Venusian Moho) and stress state of the planetary interior. We suppose that Venusian convection is confined by floating massive crust. Apparently the convection in the upper mantle of Venus is separated from that one in the lower mantle and its lateral scale must be essentially smaller than on Earth. So, the convection is reflected to a larger degree of the gravitational field of the planet than for Earth. The spherical harmonic expansion of the topography for Venus correlates with corresponding expansion of the non-equilibrium part of the gravitational potential for n = 3–18. At the same time the relief of Venus is significantly compensated. It is reasonable to suppose that the gravity field for these harmonics is due to crustal thickness variations and, probably, to variations of crustal density. Thus, in the proposed scheme the Moho's relief causes the partial isostatic compensation of the topography.All calculations are carried out for the series of realistic models of Venus taking into consideration an asthenosphere. The asthenosphere is modeled either by a weakened (shear modulus is reduced), or by a liquid inviscid layer. We also suppose that the asthenosphere extends from the base of crust to a depth of 418 km, and the density contrast across the Moho boundary is –0.4 g * cm–3. If the actual density contrast across the Moho is less than the supposed one by some factor, then one must increase the amplitudes of the roots and inverse roots by the same factor. The results for the Moho's relief and stresses in the crust are presented for the case of the mean thickness of the crust of 50 km, which satisfies the probable upper (connected with phase transitions in waterless basalts) and lower (appearing in the framework of our interpretation) limits.On the whole, the crust-mantle boundary on Venus is evidently smooth, and the stress level in the crust is appreciably smaller than the crustal stresses on the Earth. The strong sensitivity of the stresses character to the parameters of the model of external layers of Venus together with geological data allow us to begin a preliminary investigation of the tectonical structure and geodynamics of the planet.'Geology and Tectonics of Venus', special issue edited by Alexander T. Basilevsky (USSR Acad. of Sci. Moscow), James W. Head (Brown University, Providence), Gordon H. Pettengill (MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts) and R. S. Saunders (J.P.L., Pasadena).  相似文献   

3.
A comparison of the lunar frontside gravity field with topography indicates that low-density ( 2.9 g cm–3) types of rock form a surface layer or crust of variable thickness: 40-60 km beneath terrae; 20-40 km beneath non-mascon maria; 0-20 km beneath mascon maria. The observed offset between lunar centers of mass and figure is consistent with farside crustal thicknesses of 40-50 km, similar to frontside terra thicknesses.The Moon is asymmetric in crustal thickness, and also in the distribution of maria and gamma radioactivity. Early bombardment of the Moon by planetesimals, in both heliocentric and geocentric orbits, is examined as a possible cause of the asymmetries. The presence of a massive companion (Earth) causes a spin-orbit coupled Moon to be bombarded non-uniformly. The most pronounced local concentration of impacts would have occurred on the west limb of the Moon, when it orbited close to the Earth, if low-eccentricity heliocentric planetesimals were still abundant in the solar system at that time.A very intense bombardment of this type could have redistributed crustal material on the Moon, thinning the west limb crust appreciably. This would have caused a change in position of the principal axes of inertia, and a reorientation of the spin-orbit coupled Moon such that the thinnest portion of its crust turned toward one of the poles. Erupting lavas would have preferentially flooded such a thin-crusted, low-lying area. This would have caused another readjustment of principal moments, and a reorientation of the Moon such that the mare areas tipped toward the equator. The north-south and nearside-farside asymmetries of mare distribution on the present Moon can be understood in terms of such a history.Paper dedicated to Prof. Harold C. Urey on the occasion of his 80th birthday on 29 April 1973.  相似文献   

4.
Here we present a crustal folding or buckling mechanism to explain the rootless 3–5 km high Alborz Mountains in northern Iran as well as  10 km of Late Miocene to recent subsidence in the south Caspian basin and  3–6 km of subsidence in the central Iranian basin in the context of the middle Miocene to recent Arabia–Eurasia collision. A key element of the mechanism is the presence of lateral and vertical lithospheric strength contrasts between the north Iranian continental and south Caspian oceanic crusts: when compression from the collision is applied across the region, the strong south Caspian oceanic crust, buried under > 10 km of premiddle Miocene sediment, interacts with the bottom of the mechanically strong continental upper crust of northern Iran, resulting in upward buckling of the continental crust and downward buckling of the oceanic crust. We test this mechanism using a finite-element numerical model with a Maxwell rheology and obtain results that are consistent with the geological and geophysical observations. The observations compiled here and the model results demonstrate the potential for using this region as a natural laboratory for studying the early stages of continent–oceanic collision, including processes like basin inversion, fault localization and, potentially, subduction initiation.  相似文献   

5.
Most of the East European Craton lacks surface relief; however, the amplitude of topography at the top of the basement exceeds 20 km, the amplitude of topography undulations at the crustal base reaches almost 30 km with an amazing amplitude of ca. 50 km in variation in the thickness of the crystalline crust, and the amplitude of topography variations at the lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary exceeds 200 km. This paper examines the relative contributions of the crust, the subcrustal lithosphere, and the dynamic support of the sublithospheric mantle to maintain surface topography, using regional seismic data on the structure of the crystalline crust and the sedimentary cover, and thermal and large-scale P- and S-wave seismic tomography data on the structure of the lithospheric mantle. For the Precambrian lithosphere, an analysis of Vp/Vs ratio at 100, 150, 200, and 250 km depths does not show any age-dependence, suggesting that while Vp/Vs ratio can be effectively used to outline the cratonic margins, it is not sensitive to compositional variations within the cratonic lithosphere.Statistical analysis of age-dependence of velocity, density, and thermal structure of the continental crust and subcrustal lithosphere in the study area (0–62E, 45–72N) allows to link lithospheric structure with the tectonic evolution of the region since the Archean. Crustal thickness decreases systematically with age from 42–44 km in regions older than 1.6 Ga to 37–40 km in the Paleozoic–Mesoproterozoic structures, and to ca. 31 km in the Meso-Cenozoic regions. However, the isostatic contribution of the crust to the surface topography of the East European Craton is almost independent of age (ca. 4.5 km) due to an interplay of age-dependent crustal and sedimentary thicknesses and lithospheric temperatures.On the contrary, the contribution of the subcrustal lithosphere to the surface topography strongly depends on the age, being slightly positive (+ 0.3 + 0.7 km) for the regions older than 1.6 Ga and negative (− 0.5–1 km) for younger structures. This leads to age-dependent variations in the residual topography, i.e. the topography which cannot be explained by the assumed thermal and density structure of the lithosphere, and which can (at least partly) originate from the dynamic component caused by the mantle flow. Positive dynamic topography at the cratonic margins, which exceeds 2 km in the Norwegian Caledonides and in the Urals, clearly links their on-going uplift with deep mantle processes. Negative residual topography beneath the Archean-Paleoproterozoic cratons (− 1–2 km) indicates either a smaller density deficit (ca. 0.9%) in their subcrustal lithosphere than predicted by global petrologic data on mantle-derived xenoliths or the presence of a strong convective downwelling in the mantle. Such mantle downflows can effectively divert heat from the lithospheric base, leading to a long-term survival of the Archean-Paleoproterozoic lithosphere.  相似文献   

6.
In this study we explore the idea that coronae have formed on Venus as a result of gravitational (Rayleigh-Taylor) instability of the lithosphere. The lithosphere is represented by a system of stratified homogeneous viscous layers (low-density crust over high density mantle, over lower density layer beneath the lithosphere). A small harmonic perturbation imposed on the base of the lithosphere is observed to result in gravitational instability under the constraint of assumed axisymmetry. Topography develops with time under the influence of dynamic stress associated with downwelling or upwelling, and spatially variable crustal thickening or thinning. Topography may therefore be elevated or depressed above a mantle downwelling, but the computed gravity anomaly is always negative above a mantle downwelling in a homogeneous asthenosphere. The ratio of peak gravity to topography anomaly depends primarily on the ratio of crust to lithospheric viscosity. Average observed ratios are well resolved for two groups of coronae (∼40 mgal km−1), consistent with models in which the crust is perhaps 5 times stronger than the lithosphere. Group 3a (rim surrounding elevated central region) coronae are inferred to arise from a central upwelling model, whereas Group 8 (depression) coronae are inferred to arise from central downwelling. Observed average coronae radii are consistent with a lithospheric thickness of only 50 km. An upper low-density crustal layer is 10-20 km thick, as inferred from the amplitude of gravity and topography anomalies.  相似文献   

7.
The main major ridge belts of Ganiki Planitia on Venus (Lama, Ahsonnutli and Pandrosos Dorsa) are part of the fan-shaped ridge belt complex along the 200 parallel of longitude. These ridge belts with evidence of crustal shortening support the idea of a large-scale E-W compression. The ridge belt patterns indicate a N-S shear component. These forces are explained by a triangular planitia area which compressed by surrounding terrains. The crustal shortening and ridge belt formation indicates compressional plate movement stresses in the uppermost lithosphere.Three sizes of ridge belt structure are to be found within Ganiki Planitia. (1) The ridge belt spacing of 200–400 km can be used to estimate the depth of the major uppermost homogeneous layer of Venus. There are numerous volcanic coronae, paterae and montes located along the main ridge belts or at their junctions. (2) Mid-size ridge groups or subbelts are to be found within the major ridge belts. These are formed by more local responses to tectonic stresses in the stratified uppermost crust. A wavelength of 40–70 km can be seen as a result of bending of the crustal strata and may relate to its thickness. (3) Small individual ridges are connected with most local stresses, defining places where the surface layers broke along the crests of large ridge belts or mid-scale subbelts. Radial and concentric mare ridge-like structures around coronae indicate that corona formation was effective at a sufficiently close vicinity to fault the surface.  相似文献   

8.
The past 4 decades of Mars exploration have provided much information about the Mars surface, when its interior structure remains relatively poorly constrained. Today available data are compatible with a large range of model parameters. Seismology is able to provide valuable additional data but the number of seismographs will likely be quite limited, specially in the early-stage of future Mars seismic networks. It is thus of importance to be able to correctly isolate effects induced by the crust structure. Mars topography is characterized by spectacular reliefs like the Tharsis bulge or the Hellas basin and by the so-called “Mars dichotomy”: the north hemisphere is made up of low-altitude plains above a relatively thin crust when the south hemisphere is characterized by a thick crust sustaining high reliefs. The aim of this paper is to study the effects induced on seismograms by the topography of the surface and crust-mantle discontinuities. Synthetic seismograms were computed using the coupled spectral element-modal solution method, which reduces the numerical cost by limiting the use of the spectral element method to the regions where lateral variations, like the presence of a topography, are considered. Due to numerical cost, this study is limited to long period and thus focuses on surface waves, mainly on long period Rayleigh waves. We show that reliefs like the Tharsis bulge or the Hellas basin can induce an apparent velocity anomaly up to 0.5% when only the surface topography is introduced. Apparent anomalies can raise up to 1.0% when the surface topography is fully compensated by a mirror-image topography of the crust-mantle discontinuity. Travel-time of surface wave are systematically increased for seismometers in the north hemisphere of Mars and decreased in the south hemisphere. When comparing effects on seismograms by the Earth and Mars topography, we found them to be larger for the Earth. It is due to the fact that we work with a seismic velocity model of Mars with a mean crust thickness of 110 km when the crust thickness has a mean value of 50 km for the Earth. When changing the Mars model for a thinner crust with a mean thickness of 50 km, effects by the topography on Mars seismograms becomes of the same order when not larger than what is observed on the Earth.  相似文献   

9.
We reproduced the observed center-to-limb variations of 11 weak line profiles with the HSRA and the microturbulence distribution given by Lites (1973), introducing an anisotropic macroturbulence (vertical component of 1.5 km/sec and horizontal one of 2.3 km/sec).The variations of the profiles with the heliographic latitude cannot be explained with temperature variations (it comes out that T/T 10–3), but we need instead a very small dependence on of the photospheric turbulence velocity field, the maximum of which, situated around - 40°–60°, is of about 3–4%, above the equatorial value. With the present measurements, however, we are not able to distinguish between variations of the micro- and macroturbulence components of the total velocity field.  相似文献   

10.
Heat flow calculations based on geological and/or geophysical indicators can help to constrain the thickness, and potentially the geochemical stratification, of the martian crust. Here we analyze the Warrego rise region, part of the ancient mountain range referred to as the Thaumasia highlands. This region has a crustal thickness much greater than the martian average, as well as estimations of the depth to the brittle-ductile transition beneath two scarps interpreted to be thrust faults. For the local crustal density (2900 kg m−3) favored by our analysis of the flexural state of compensation of the local topography, the crustal thickness is at least 70 and 75 km at the scarp locations. However, for one of the scarp locations our nominal model does not obtain heat flow solutions permitting a homogeneous crust as thick as required. Our results, therefore, suggest that the crust beneath the Warrego rise region is chemically stratified with a heat-producing enriched upper layer thinner than the whole crust. Moreover, if the mantle heat flow (at the time of scarp formation) was higher than 0.3 of the surface heat low, as predicted by thermal history models, then a stratified crust rise seems unavoidable for this region, even if local heat-producing element abundances lower than average or hydrostatic pore pressure are considered. This finding is consistent with a complex geological history, which includes magmatic-driven activity.  相似文献   

11.
The observed record of impact craters on the surface of the planet Venus can be used to calculate the contribution of fine materials generated by impact processes to the global sedimentary cycle. Using various methods for the extending the population of impact craters with diameters larger than 8 km observed on the northern 25% of the Venus to the entire surface area of the planet, we have estimated how materials ejected from the integrated record of impact cratering over the past 0.5 to 1.0 æ might have been globally distributed. Relationships for computing the fraction of ejected materials from impact craters in a given size range originally developed for the Moon (and for terrestrial nuclear explosion cratering experiments) were scaled for Venus conditions, and the ejecta fragments with sizes less than 30 m were considered to represent those with the greatest potential for global transport and eventual fallout. A similar set of calculations were carried out using the observed terrestrial cratering record, corrected for the missing population of small craters and oceanic impacts that have either been eroded or are unobserved (due to water cover). Our calculations suggest that both Venus and the Earth should have experienced approximately 6000 impact events over the past 0.5 to 1 æ (in the size range from 1 km to about 180 km). The cumulative global thickness of impact-derived fine materials that could have produced from this record of impacts in this time period is most likely between 1–2 mm for Venus, and certainly no more than 6 mm (assuming an enhanced population of large 150–200 km scale impact events). For Earth, the global cumulative thickness is most likely 0.2 to 0.3 mm, and certainly no more than 2 to 3 mm. The cumulative volume of impact ejecta (independent of particle size) for Venus generated over the past 1 æ, when spread out over the global surface area to form a uniform layer, would fall between 2 and 12 meters, although 99% of this material would be deposited in the near rim ejecta blanket (from 1 to 2.3 crater radii from the rim crest), and only 0.02% would be available for global transport as dust-sized particles. Thus, our conclusion is that Venus, as with the Earth, cannot have formed a substantial impact-derived regolith layer over the past billion years of its history as is typical for smaller silicate planets such as the Moon and Mercury. This conclusion suggests that there must be other extant mechanisms for sediment formation and redistribution in the Venus environment, on the basis of Venera Lander surface panoramas which demonstrate the occurrence of local sediment accumulations.'Geology and Tectonics of Venus', special issue edited by Alexander T. Basilevsky (USSR Acad. of Sci. Moscow), James W. Head (Brown University, Providence), Gordon H. Pettengill (MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts) and R. S. Saunders (J.P.L., Pasadena).  相似文献   

12.
C.C. Reese  C.P. Orth 《Icarus》2011,213(2):433-442
We show that a sufficiently energetic impact can generate a melt volume which, after isostatic adjustment and differentiation, forms a spherical cap of crust with underlying depleted mantle. Depending on impact energy and initial crustal thickness, a basin may be retained or impact induced crust may be topographically elevated. Retention of a martian lowland scale impact basin at impact energies ∼3 × 1028-3 × 1029 J requires an initial crustal thickness greater than 10 km. Formation of impact induced crust with size comparable to the martian highlands requires a larger impact energy, ∼1-3 × 1030 J, and initial crustal thickness <20 km. Furthermore, we show that the boundary of impact induced crust can be elliptical due to a spatially asymmetric impact melt volume caused by an oblique impact. We suggest the term “impact megadome” for topographically elevated, impact induced crust and propose that processes involved in megadome formation may play an important role in the origin of the martian crustal dichotomy.  相似文献   

13.
Analyzing the tectonics of planets and their satellites we use all the information available from the studies of the Earth and other celestial bodies such as the Moon, Mars and Mercury. An important condition in such analysis is naturally the scale of the phenomena compared. Most surface structures of Venus are known to have no direct analogues on the surface of the present Earth, with its global systems of mid-oceanic ridges, deep trenches and vast lithospheric plates. This might be due to the sharp differences in the present thermal regimes of the Earth and Venus. It has already been suggested in numerous papers that the key to the genesis of the Cytherean surficial structures must be looked for in the geodynamics of the Early Precambrian Earth.Such an approach appears very logical indeed since the rheology of the present Cytherean crust must be closer to that of the Precambrian rigid lithosphere of the Earth which is as if floating in the low-viscous asthenosphere. An attempt has therefore been made to evaluate certain elements in the tectonics of Venus through the theological properties of its crust comparing structural formation in the low-viscous layers of the Earth crust in the Early Precambrian with data on the morphology of structures on the surface of Venus.  相似文献   

14.
《Planetary and Space Science》2006,54(13-14):1315-1335
The Venus Express Radio Science Experiment (VeRa) uses radio signals at wavelengths of 3.6 and 13 cm (“X”- and “S”-band, respectively) to investigate the Venus surface, neutral atmosphere, ionosphere, and gravity field, as well as the interplanetary medium. An ultrastable oscillator (USO) provides a high quality onboard reference frequency source; instrumentation on Earth is used to record amplitude, phase, propagation time, and polarization of the received signals. Simultaneous, coherent measurements at the two wavelengths allow separation of dispersive media effects from classical Doppler shift.VeRa science objectives include the following:
  • (1)Determination of neutral atmospheric structure from the cloud deck (approximately 40 km altitude) to 100 km altitude from vertical profiles of neutral mass density, temperature, and pressure as a function of local time and season. Within the atmospheric structure, search for, and if detected, study of the vertical structure of localized buoyancy waves, and the presence and properties of planetary waves.
  • (2)Study of the H2SO4 vapor absorbing layer in the atmosphere by variations in signal intensity and application of this information to tracing atmospheric motions. Scintillation effects caused by radio wave diffraction within the atmosphere can also provide information on small-scale atmospheric turbulence.
  • (3)Investigation of ionospheric structure from approximately 80 km to the ionopause (<600 km), allowing study of the interaction between solar wind plasma and the Venus atmosphere.
  • (4)Observation of forward-scattered surface echoes obliquely reflected from selected high-elevation targets with anomalous radar properties (such as Maxwell Montes). More generally, such bistatic radar measurements provide information on the roughness and density of the surface material on scales of centimeters to meters.
  • (5)Detection of gravity anomalies, thereby providing insight into the properties of the Venus crust and lithosphere.
  • (6)Measurement of the Doppler shift, propagation time, and frequency fluctuations along the interplanetary ray path, especially during periods of superior conjunction, thus enabling investigation of dynamical processes in the solar corona.
  相似文献   

15.
We examine gravity, topography, and magnetic field data along the well-preserved Martian dichotomy boundary between 105° and 180°E to better understand the origin and modification of the dichotomy boundary. Admittance modeling indicates bottom-loading for the Amenthes region (105–135°E) with crustal and elastic thickness estimates of 15–40 km, and 15–35 km and top-loading for the Aeolis region (145–180°E) with crustal and elastic thickness estimates of 10–20 km and 10–15 km, respectively. There is a general trend from bottom-loading in the west, to top-loading in the east. The bottom-loading signature near Amenthes may reflect its proximity to the Isidis basin or a broad valley southeast of Isidis. Surface volcanic deposits may produce the top-loading seen at Aeolis. Additional processes such as erosion and faulting have clearly affected the dichotomy and may contribute to the loading signature. Low elastic thickness estimates are consistent with loading in the Noachian, when heat flow was high. Significant Bouguer and isostatic gravity anomalies in these areas indicate substantial variations in the crustal density structure. Crater age dating indicates that major surface modification occurred early in the Noachian, and the small elastic thickness estimates also suggest that subsurface modification occurred in the Noachian. Magnetic and gravity anomalies show comparable spatial scales (several hundred kilometers). The similarity in scale and the constant ratio of the amplitudes of the isostatic and Bouguer gravity to the magnetic anomalies along the dichotomy suggest a common origin for the anomalies. Igneous intrusion and/or local thinning or thickening of the crust, possibly with a contribution from hydrothermal alteration, are the most likely mechanisms to create the observed anomalies.  相似文献   

16.
The tectonic style of a terrestrial planet depends strongly on the mechanisms of heat release from the mantle through the lithosphere to the surface. Three types of lithospheric heat transfer have been proposed. (1) Lithospheric conduction, (2) (hot spot) volcanism, (3) plate recycling (mainly at spreading plate margins). In the case of the Earth the total heat flow is determined by plate recycling 65%, heat conduction through the lithosphere 20%, decay of radioactive elements in the crust 15%, hot spot volcanism <1%. Scaling the mean surface heat flow density of the Earth to venusian conditions leads to 66 mW/m2. In the case of Venus plate tectonics play only a minor role. Thus, two processes remain for heat release: (hot spot) volcanism and conduction. The term hot spot is written in brackets because volcanism on Venus occurs globally, not necessarily associated with hot spots.The volcanic lava production has been estimated from Venera 15/16 scenes. Arecibo and Magellan images revealed that the surface character south of 30° N is very similar to the area covered by Venera. The main results of the estimation are: (i) The maximum thickness of the plain lavas is 3 km. (ii) With plain lava thicknesses larger than 200 m the lava production from central volcanoes is negligible, (iii) Two age models have been used for the mean age of the area obseved: t 1 = 109 a, t 2 = 400 x 106 a. t 1 leads to the maximum lava production rate of 3 km3/a compared to 20 to 25 km3/a of the Earth; this gives a maximum contribution of 0.75mW/m2 to the heat flow density of Venus, i.e. about 1%. This implies that either heat conduction is the only dominating process for heat release or there is a hidden reservoir of the missing basalt somewhere or there is another unknown tectonic process. Assuming pure conduction and correcting the surface heat flow density for radioactive elements in the crust leads to a thickness of the thermal lithosphere of 45km. A reservoir for the missing basalt could be basaltic underplating to a depth of 100 km. This gives a contribution of about 20 mW/m2 with the age model t 2 to the heat flow density from first order calculations.While the tectonic style of the Earth can be described to be linear formed at the plate margins, the surface of Venus is characterized by global spotty volcanism. The surface is more dominated by volcanic landforms than in the case of the Earth despite the relatively low lava production rate with a maximum of 3 km3/a. As plate tectonics is a minor process on Venus, conduction through a rather thin lithosphere should play an important role for heat release.Contribution No. 437, Institut für Geophysik der Universität Kiel, Germany.  相似文献   

17.
Corotating solar wind streams emanating from stable coronal structures provide an unique opportunity to compare the response of planetary ionospheres to the energy conveyed in the streams. For recurrent solar conditions the signal propagating outward along spiral paths in interplanetary space can at times exhibit rather similar content at quite different downstream locations in the ecliptic plane. Using solar wind measurements from plasma detectors on ISEE-3, Pioneer Venus Orbiter (PVO) and Helios-A, as well as in-situ ion composition measurements from Bennett Ion Mass Spectrometers on the Atmosphere Explorer-E and PVO spacecraft, corotating stream interactions are examined at Earth and Venus. During May–July 1979 a sequence of distinct, recurrent coronal regions developed at the Sun. Analysis of these regions and the associated solar wind characteristics indicates a corrresponding sequence of corotating streams, identifiable over wide distances. The time series of solar wind velocity variations observed at Earth, Venus, and the Helios-A positions during June–July attests to intervals of corotating stream propagation. The characteristics of the stream which passed Earth on July 3, are observed at Helios-A and at Venus (PVO) about 8 days later, consistent with the spiral path propagation delay times between the locations in the ecliptic plane. On July 3, Earth and Venus have a wide azimuthal separation of about 142 . Although the planetary environments are distinctly different, pronounced and somewhat analagous ionospheric responses to the stream passage are observed at both Earth and Venus. The response to the intercepted stream is consistent with independent investigations which have shown that the variability of the solar wind momentum flux is an important factor in the solar wind-ionosphere interaction at both planets.  相似文献   

18.
Thermal evolutions of the terrestrial planets   总被引:1,自引:0,他引:1  
The thermal evolution of the Moon, Mercury, Mars, Venus and hypothetical minor planets is calculated theoretically, taking into account conduction, solid-state convection, and differentiation. An assortment of geological, geochemical, and geophysical data is used to constrain both the present day temperatures and thermal histories of the planets' interiors. Such data imply that the planets were heated during or shortly after formation and that all the terrestrial planets started their differentiations early in their history. Initial temperatures and core formation play the most important roles in the early differentiation. The size of the planet is the primary factor in determining its present day thermal state. A planetary body with radius less than 1000 km is unlikely to reach melting given heat source concentrations similar to terrestrial values and in the absence of intensive early heating such as short half-life radioactive heating and inductive heating.Studies of individual planets are constrained by varying amounts of data. Most data exist for the Earth and Moon. The Moon is a differentiated body with a crust, a thick solid mantle and an interior region which may be partially molten. It is presently cooling rapidly and is relatively inactive tectonically.Mercury most likely has a large core. Thermal calculations indicate it may have a 500 km thick solid lithosphere, and the core may be partially molten if it contains some heat sources. If this is not the case, the planet's interior temperatures are everywhere below the melting curve for iron. The thermal evolution is dominated by core separation and the high conductivity of iron which makes up the bulk of Mercury.Mars, intermediate in size among the terrestrial planets, is assumed to have differentiated an Fe–FeS core. Differentiation and formation of an early crust is evident from Mariner and Viking observations. Theoretical models suggest that melting and differentiation of the mantle silicates has occurred at least up until 1 billion years ago. Present day temperature profiles indicate a relatively thick (250 km) lithosphere with a possible asthenosphere below. The core is molten.Venus is characterized as a planet similar to the Earth in many respects. Core formation probably occurred during the first billion years after the formation. Present day temperatures indicate a partially molten upper mantle overlain by a 100 km thick lithosphere and a molten Fe–Ni core. If temperature models are good indicators, we can expect that today, Venus has tectonic processes similar to the Earth's.Paper dedicated to Professor Hannes Alfvén on the occasion of his 70th birthday, 30 May 1978.  相似文献   

19.
An integrated explanation is proposed for the Late Cenozoic crustal deformation in Yunnan, SW China, using sedimentary and geomorphological evidence from the Yangtze and Red River systems. The observed fluvial incision indicates up to ~ 15 km of crustal thickening, associated with ~ 3 km of uplift, apparently triggered at ~ 8 Ma by monsoon-induced erosion drawing mobile lower crust from beneath Tibet to the northwest. The mobile lower-crustal layer beneath Yunnan was initially very thin, but a positive feedback loop developed, whereby each incremental influx of lower-crust widened and heated this layer, facilitating the next increment. At ~ 5 Ma, the shear tractions exerted on the brittle upper-crust by this flowing lower crust became sufficient to reactivate pre-existing lines of weakness, dragging blocks of the brittle layer southward and creating the region′s modern active fault systems. This region thus provides a dramatic example of crustal deformation induced by Late Cenozoic climate change, notwithstanding its location adjoining the India–Eurasia plate boundary.  相似文献   

20.
LOS Bouguer gravity anomalies have been calculated from a low altitude LOS free air Doppler gravity profile across northern Mare Fecunditatis, southern Mare Tranquillitatis and the Aridaeus Rille. The Hyginus-Triesnecker area has been included in model calculations, though here only free air anomalies are present. A crustal density model has been fitted to the Bouguer anomalies and to the free air anomalies in the case of the Hyginus-Triesnecker area.On a regional scale northern Fecunditatis has Bouguer anomalies up to 80 mgal and lithostatic stresses of 29 bar and thus is nearly in isostatic equilibrium. Tranquillitatis can be divided into three regions of different crustal structure: (1) northern Tranquillitatis with only minor free air gravity anomalies is more or less in isostatic balance, (2) the southeastern region with Bouguer anomalies to –100 mgal and lithostatic stresses of –73 bar has a considerable mass deficit, (3) the southwestern basin is dominated by the local structure Lamont with a Bouguer maximum of 200 mgal and extremely high lithostatic stresses of 285 bar.The Bouguer minimum of –180 mgal of the Aridaeus area has been modelled by two alternative models: (i) a crustal thickening of 33 km and associated lithostatic stresses of –164 bar, and (ii) a crustal thickening of 20 km plus a low density intrusion. The free air maximum of the Hyginus-Triesnecker area has been fitted by a mantle plug connected with stresses of 116 bar.As the old irregular maria could not sustain large mascon stresses, it has been concluded that the local high stresses of Lamont, Aridaeus, and Hyginus-Triesnecker have been evolved after the impacts of the circular maria. Intrusional activities in these areas could have proceeded to fault zones generated by the large impacts.Contribution No. 211, Institut für Geophysik der Universität Kiel, F.R.G.  相似文献   

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