Resolution of crustal structure of {Mars} from gravity and topography

Details Resolution of crustal structure of {Mars} from gravity and topography Resolution of crustal structure of {Mars} from gravity and topography

Apr 2003

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2003eaeja....13440n&link_type=abstract

EGS - AGU - EUG Joint Assembly, Abstracts from the meeting held in Nice, France, 6 - 11 April 2003, abstract #13440

Physics

Scientific paper

Gravity models produced using global tracking data coverage from the Primary and Extended Mars Global Surveyor missions, using new constants for the orientation of the Mars pole and rotation rate have been generated to degree and order 80 (Lemoine et al. 2001,2002; Yuan et al., 2001). The shape of the solid surface of Mars has essentially been measured perfectly by the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) to spherical harmonic degree and order >1000 (Smith et al., 2001). Topography and gravity provide a window into the internal structure of Mars, mainly variations in crustal thickness. Using terrain corrections for finite-amplitude topography (Wieczorek and Phillips, 1998) and assuming a crustal density of 2900 kg m-3, a Bouguer potential has been interpreted to degree and order 50 by Zuber et al. (2000) via downward continuation to the moho at a mean depth of 50 km. Average crustal thickness significantly less than 50 km would require unusually dense material in several basins, while a much thicker crust would require unusually high viscosity to maintain its long-wavelength structure over Mars history. Care must be exercised in interpreting the Bouguer potential field in terms of density variations at degrees higher than 50. Using topography as a constraint, excessive noise power appearing mainly in zonal harmonic potentials may be eliminated prior to downward continuation. A correction must be made for the lower densities of the polar caps. With these constraints, a model for crustal thickness may be obtained that follows a Vening Meinesz power law (within 6 dB) to degree and order 66. This model resolves features of 160 km (half-wavelength) in extent. Recognizable are the signatures of several buried impact basins, as well as unusually dense volcanic materials.

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