Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Oct 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010dps....42.3206r&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #42, #32.06; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 42, p.1013
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
We have identified an unexpected property of Europa's eccentricity-driven tidal stress field that can generate net shear stress along faults and may thus elucidate the mechanics of strike-slip fault formation. Europa's eccentricity raises a time-varying tidal bulge that differs in magnitude and direction from the primary tidal bulge throughout an orbit, leading to tidal stress. The magnitude of the eccentricity bulge is at a maximum at pericenter and minimum at apocenter, while the maximum deviation between the directions of the eccentricity and primary bulges occurs at 1/4 and 3/4 of an orbit; the bulges are aligned at pericenter and apocenter. Hence, the direction of motion of the eccentricity bulge is westward across the surface from 1/4 of the way through the orbit until 3/4, during which time the magnitude of the bulge is always less than average. The direction of motion is then in the opposite direction, eastward across the surface, from 3/4 until 1/4, while the magnitude of the tidal bulge is always greater than average. The result is that the deformation caused by the motion of the bulge relative to a given location on Europa occurs with larger magnitude in one direction. Therefore, the stresses induced by the deformation are not equal and opposite. An interesting consequence is that, when decomposed along a fault, the stresses will not necessarily cancel out over one orbit. Depending on the azimuth of the fault, and its latitude and longitude, the fault can experience net positive or negative shear stress perhaps leading to slip. We discuss implications of this phenomenon on models of strike-slip formation on Europa and compare predictions based on these models with observed fault patterns.
Hurford Terry A.
Manga Michael
Rhoden Alyssa R.
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