Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 2002
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2002agufm.p71b0466h&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2002, abstract #P71B-0466
Physics
5475 Tectonics (8149), 6295 Venus
Scientific paper
Coronae are Venusian quasi-circular volcano-tectonic features that range in size from 60km-1000km. They are believed to form over small-scale mantle upwellings. Previous models of corona formation can best match the observed topographic morphology when the upwellings cause the cold, dense lower lithosphere to delaminate, sinking into the mantle and deforming the surface. These complex evolutionary models can predict the general topography of most classes of coronae and can also account for most of the deformation observed around coronae. The size and depth at which these plumes might originate is unclear, however, and the relatively close spacing of coronae is surprising if these plumes originate from deep in the mantle. We here investigate an alternative causal mechanism for coronae based on the idea that gravitational instability of the dense mantle lithosphere could also explain the observed topography and gravity. In Rayleigh-Taylor instability, coupled downwelling and upwelling develops from an initial perturbation in lithospheric thickness. Recent analysis of gravity data suggests that deformation of the crustal layer may play an important role in causing surface topography for coronae and explaining volcano-tectonic deformation features. We examine the role of crustal thickness in forming specific corona morphologies using "basil", a 2D finite deformation program adapted to calculate viscous deformation assuming cylindrical axisymmetry. Instantaneous flow fields are integrated forward in time in order to compute the final strain field. Rayleigh-Taylor instability with imposed cylindrical axisymmetry produces either central depression surrounded by a positive topographic annulus (or vice-versa). If deformation is small we observe that linear growth rates q are the same for either form of the instability. We find this rate to be maximum at wavenumber k=2.5 for rigid boundary models, but the wavelength of deformation lengthens to k=0.32 for free-slip boundaries. When a low density crust is added (crust viscosity = mantle viscosity), we observe that surface topography above a central downwelling evolves from an initial central depression to central uplift surrounded by a depressed annular region, and find that the growth rate is now maximum at k=1.3 for free-slip boundaries. Adding a low density crust reduces q for all k as the buoyant crustal layer inhibits the growth of the instability. Whether the surface is elevated or depressed depends on crustal buoyancy and crustal viscosity.
Hoogenboom Trudi
Houseman Gregory A.
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