Load-bearing capacity of the terrestrial planets

Details Load-bearing capacity of the terrestrial planets Load-bearing capacity of the terrestrial planets

Apr 2003

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2003eaeja.....2037h&link_type=abstract

EGS - AGU - EUG Joint Assembly, Abstracts from the meeting held in Nice, France, 6 - 11 April 2003, abstract #2037

Physics

Scientific paper

Because of the approximate constancy of gravity throughout the mantle of Earth-like planets with large iron cores, the magnitude of lateral anomalies in density correspond directly to the planet's ability to support loads. Making only an assumption of random sources, spectral analysis of the planet's gravity field yields the load-bearing capacity ("strength") at a small number of specific "white-noise" depths within the planet (Hipkin, 2001). The result has since been shown to be consistent with some convection models (Steinberger &Holme, 2002). It is now shown that the "strength" and effective thickness of the "lithospheres" of Venus and the Earth are almost identical. However, below this, Venus is stronger: it supports loads at only a few hundred kilometres depth that the Earth can only support in its lower mantle. Although "strength" is usually considered to be dominated by temperature in the upper mantle and pressure in the lower mantle, the trace presence of volatiles may be an equally important determinant. It is proposed that the difference between the two planets results from their different out-gassing histories. On Venus, the lack of a subduction process to recycle volatiles from the surface into the mantle does not weaken its upper mantle like the Earth's. Estimates of the load-bearing capacities of Mars and the Moon are also given.

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