Global fracture patterns of a despun planet: Application to Mercury |
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| Authors: | JBurt Pechmann HJ Melosh |
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| Institution: | California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA |
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| Abstract: | We have determined the global fracture patterns resulting from combinations of stresses due to tidal despinning and contraction or expansion. We find that Mercury's lineament pattern is consistent with a history of despinning and contraction. According to our model, the observed tectonic pattern implies that the despinning process reached completion before the planet ceased contracting. Our model predicts a stress due to contraction which is up to 1.8 times the maximum despinning stress on Mercury. The maximum contractional stress could be as large as 4 times the maximum despinning stress if the oldest fractures on the planet are N-S thrust faults in the equatorial region. |
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