Mathematics – Logic
Scientific paper
Aug 2007
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2007epsc.conf...22g&link_type=abstract
European Planetary Science Congress 2007, Proceedings of a conference held 20-24 August, 2007 in Potsdam, Germany. Online at ht
Mathematics
Logic
Scientific paper
Planetary lithospheres exhibit nonzero mechanical strength over geological timescales which is generally expressed in terms of the elastic lithosphere thickness Te. On Earth, Te estimates for oceanic lithosphere follow the depth to the 600 degree C isotherm, reflecting the growth of lithospheric strength as the lithosphere cools. However, the interpretation of elastic thickness values on the continents is not as straightforward and the thermal state is only one factor controlling Te. In particular, the state of the crust-mantle interface (mechanical coupling or decoupling of crust and mantle), the thicknesses and proportions of the mechanically competent layers as well as the intraplate stresses play an important role. A transition from the state of mechanical decoupling to coupling is caused by lithospheric cooling and results in a bimodal distribution of the observed elastic thickness values. Estimates of the Martian elastic lithosphere thickness imply that Te evolved from values below 20 km in the Noachian to more than 100 km in the Amazonian period. Furthermore, Te rapidly increased from ~30 km to ~70 km during the Hesperian, a behaviour reminiscent of the bimodal Te distribution on Earth's continents. We have investigated the evolution of the Martian elastic lithosphere using one-dimensional thermal evolution models and the strength envelope formalism.We show that the rapid increase of lithospheric strength in the Hesperian may be caused by a change of the mechanical behaviour of the lithosphere at that time, i.e., a transition from a decoupled to a coupled crust-mantle lithosphere caused by planetary cooling. The results strongly depend on the crustal and mantle rheology and a dry Martian crust can be ruled out. Also, we find that the observations are best compatible with a wet mantle rheology.
Breuer Doris
Grott Matthias
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