Tectonics on Io: Implications for lithospheric structure

Details Tectonics on Io: Implications for lithospheric structure Tectonics on Io: Implications for lithospheric structure

Dec 2002

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2002agufm.p72b0501t&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2002, abstract #P72B-0501

Other

5400 Planetology: Solid Surface Planets, 5430 Interiors (8147), 5475 Tectonics (8149), 6218 Jovian Satellites

Scientific paper

There are more than 100 mountains and plateaus on Io, many of which have been determined from shadow measurements or stereo photogrammetry to be several kilometers high [1,2]. Surprisingly, despite Io's incredible volcanic activity, most mountains appear to have tectonic rather than volcanic origins, often resembling uplifted, tilted, and fractured crustal blocks. Some are bounded by fractures from which lava flows or volcanic gases emanate, but lava flows or plumes are not seen to issue from mountain summits. However, paterae are often found at the margins of the mountains suggestive of a genetic relationship [3]. Io's mountains are generally isolated and they do not exhibit any strong global tectonic patterns, although there does appear to be some longitudinal variation in mountain distribution [4]. The formation mechanism(s) for ionian mountains have significant implications for the structure of the ionian lithosphere. Early researchers suggested that the mountains are volcanic constructs [e.g., 5,6,7]. Others have proposed extensional and compressional tectonic origins [e.g., 8, 2, respectively] and thermally induced tectonics [3,9,10]. To evaluate various mechanisms we have conducted numerical models of mountain building. Our results indictate that formation can easily be driven by compressive stresses due to the rapid subsidence caused by Io's high resurfacing rate as proposed by [2] if the stresses are localized by lithospheric inhomogeneities [3,11]. We will discuss proposed mountain formation mechanisms in the light of Galileo observations and our models of mountain formation, and their implications for Io's lithosphere. References: [1] Carr M.H. et al. (1998) Icarus 135. [2] Schenk P.M. and Bulmer M.H. (1998) Science 279. [3] Turtle E.P. et al. (2001) JGR 106. [4] Schenk P.M. et al. (2001) JGR 106. [5] Masursky H. et al. (1979) Nature 280. [6] Schaber G.G. (1980) Icarus 43. [7] Whitford-Stark J.L. (1982) LPSC XIII. [8] Heath M.J. (1985) in Heat and Detachment in Crustal Extension on Continents and Planets. [9] McEwen A.S. (1985) in Heat and Detachment in Crustal Extension on Continents and Planets. [10] McKinnon W.B. et al. (2001) Geology 29. [11] Jaeger W.L. et al., in review.

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