Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 2008
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008agufm.p23a1358b&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2008, abstract #P23A-1358
Physics
5475 Tectonics (8149), 6222 Ganymede, 8149 Planetary Tectonics (5475)
Scientific paper
Nearly two-thirds of Ganymede's surface consists of relatively bright, young, tectonically deformed terrain dubbed grooved terrain. The grooved terrain consists of sets of parallel, undulatory ridges and troughs with peak to trough amplitudes of several hundred meters and periodic spacings that range from 3 to 10~km. The low slopes and periodic spacing of the grooves suggest that they formed via unstable extension of the ice lithosphere [e.g. Fink and Fletcher 1981, LPS XII; Pappalardo et al. 1998, Icarus 135]. Application of analytical models of unstable extension to Ganymede suggest that large amplitude grooves with appropriate wavelengths can form if the lithosphere is in pervasive brittle failure and if the lithospheric thermal gradient was relatively high (~45K km-1) [Dombard and McKinnon 2001, Icarus 154]; however, numerical models of unstable extension struggle to produce topographic amplitudes consistent with Ganymede's grooves (maximum amplitudes are a factor of five less than typical large amplitude grooves) [Bland and Showman 2007, Icarus 189]. The difficulties in producing large amplitude deformation may be overcome by the inclusion of strain weakening in models of groove formation. Strain weakening effects account for a material's tendency to strain more easily as viscous and/or plastic deformation accumulates, and as strain localizes in shear zones or along faults. When included in models of terrestrial extension, such effects can increase deformation amplitudes by up to several orders of magnitude [e.g. Fredericksen and Braun 2001, EPSL 188; Behn et al. 2002, EPSL 202]. Here we present the results of simulations of Ganymede's groove formation that include various strain weakening processes. Incorporation of a simple damage rheology, in which the yield strength of the ice lithosphere decreases as plastic strain accumulates, permits a factor of three increase in the amplitude of the simulated grooves, generating topography of 200~m or more. Such groove amplitudes are consistent with the lower-end of the range of observed groove amplitudes. More sophisticated strain weakening rheologies are likely to further increase deformation amplitudes. This work is supported by NASA PG&G.
Bland Michael T.
McKinnon William B.
Showman Adam P.
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