The spatial distribution of Mercury's pyroclastic activity and the relation to lithospheric weaknesses

Klimczak, C.; Crane, Kelsey; Habermann, M.; Byrne, P. K.

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2018.06.020

Cited by 19 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…Thomas et al () dated pyroclastic deposits associated with volcanic vents across the planet finding a range of activity between 3.9 and 1.7 Ga. Based on these observations, and on the fact that the observed faults cut the vent‐bearing craters and not the vents, the pyroclastic activity along the VEA array overprints the motion of the major faults in this area and is thus younger than 3.7 Ga. On Mercury, the occurrence of volcanic vents is often linked to the presence of faults (e.g., Rothery et al, ; Thomas et al, ), and this is also observed on Earth, where relevant upwelling of hot material (forming volcanoes, geothermal manifestations, and vents) typically happens in correspondence to fault intersections (e.g., Acocella & Funiciello, ). A statistical analysis of vent distribution on Mercury reveals that since fault and impact crater damage zones are pervasive on the planet, there is no strict correlation between vents and faults at a global scale (Klimczak et al, ). However, the vents that we consider in this regional structural context are unequivocally located in correspondence to boundaries of the VEA array sectors, confirming a tight relationship between volcanic activity and major fault segmentation along this array (Figure c).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Structural Analysis of the Victoria Quadrangle Fault Systems on Mercury: Timing, Geometries, Kinematics, and Relationship with the High‐Mg Region

et al. 2019

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Three nonparallel fault systems occur in the Victoria quadrangle of Mercury. The most prominent system (Victoria system) includes the NNW‐SSE trending Victoria Rupes‐Endeavour Rupes‐Antoniadi Dorsum (VEA) array, one of the major fault alignments on the planet, and shorter parallel fault arrays. West and northwest of the Victoria system, two additional fault systems with NE‐SW (Larrocha system) and NW‐SE (Carnegie system) trends, are found. The timing analysis reveals that the three systems are coeval and were active until ~3.7 Ga. Measures of rim offset within faulted craters on the VEA array and on Carnegie Rupes segment of the Carnegie system were used to derive the kinematics of faults and to perform a finite stress inversion, which provides an ENE‐WSW trending regional shortening axis. Results of the stress inversion and age relationships, together with geometrical and morpho‐structural observations, suggest that the NE‐SW and NW‐SE systems acted as right‐transcurrent and left‐transpressional, respectively, at the time when the computed strain field was active. The distribution of the three systems spatially coincides with the boundaries of the high‐Mg region and of other regional geochemical terranes. Lateral geomechanical variation of the crust combined with tidal despinning and global contraction processes drove the localization and slip pattern of faults in a kinematically consistent displacement field. Moreover, crustal heterogeneities controlled the lateral changes in density and spacing of fault segments along the VEA. Following the demise of faulting, the established lateral variation of geometry along the VEA favored the growth of volcanic vents at high‐permeability segment boundaries.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Structural Analysis of the Victoria Quadrangle Fault Systems on Mercury: Timing, Geometries, Kinematics, and Relationship with the High‐Mg Region

et al. 2019

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“…The majority of Mercury's explosive volcanic vents are on the floors, rims, central peaks or peak rings of impact structures, on a fault, or within 20 km of a fault (Klimczak et al 2018). These explosive eruptions could not have happened unless there were sufficient volatiles to expand explosively as a gas (Kerber et al 2009).…”

Section: What Are the History And Mechanisms Of Explosive Eruption?mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Volcanic vents that straddle a fault are usually regarded as post-dating the fault, in which case the fault is likely to have provided a pathway for magma ascent (e.g., Klimczak et al 2018). The alternative scenarios regarding age relationships between faulting and magmatism can be tested with high-resolution images (e.g., Fig.…”

Section: What Are the Nature Causes And Timing Of Tectonic Features?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Rationale for BepiColombo Studies of Mercury’s Surface and Composition

et al. 2020

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BepiColombo has a larger and in many ways more capable suite of instruments relevant for determination of the topographic, physical, chemical and mineralogical properties of Mercury’s surface than the suite carried by NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft. Moreover, BepiColombo’s data rate is substantially higher. This equips it to confirm, elaborate upon, and go beyond many of MESSENGER’s remarkable achievements. Furthermore, the geometry of BepiColombo’s orbital science campaign, beginning in 2026, will enable it to make uniformly resolved observations of both northern and southern hemispheres. This will offer more detailed and complete imaging and topographic mapping, element mapping with better sensitivity and improved spatial resolution, and totally new mineralogical mapping. We discuss MESSENGER data in the context of preparing for BepiColombo, and describe the contributions that we expect BepiColombo to make towards increased knowledge and understanding of Mercury’s surface and its composition. Much current work, including analysis of analogue materials, is directed towards better preparing ourselves to understand what BepiColombo might reveal. Some of MESSENGER’s more remarkable observations were obtained under unique or extreme conditions. BepiColombo should be able to confirm the validity of these observations and reveal the extent to which they are representative of the planet as a whole. It will also make new observations to clarify geological processes governing and reflecting crustal origin and evolution. We anticipate that the insights gained into Mercury’s geological history and its current space weathering environment will enable us to better understand the relationships of surface chemistry, morphologies and structures with the composition of crustal types, including the nature and mobility of volatile species. This will enable estimation of the composition of the mantle from which the crust was derived, and lead to tighter constraints on models for Mercury’s origin including the nature and original heliocentric distance of the material from which it formed.

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“…In the event that metallic volcanoes can be identified using present-day observations, they will likely be very informative. For example, it is likely that volcanoes will be spatially associated with impact craters, analogous to what is seen on Mercury (Klimczak et al, 2018), and the degree of this association will inform the stress evolution of the crust. A rapidly cooling metallic flow may acquire a remanent magnetic field, if an internal dynamo is active at that time (Bryson et al, 2015).…”

Section: Geomorphic Implications and Potential Constraints From Obsermentioning

confidence: 99%

Ferrovolcanism: Iron Volcanism on Metallic Asteroids

Abrahams

Nimmo

2019

Geophysical Research Letters

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Metallic asteroids, the exposed cores of disrupted planetesimals, are expected to have been exposed while still molten. Some would have cooled from the outside in, crystallizing a surface crust which would then grow inward. Because the growing crust is expected to be more dense than the underlying melt, this melt will tend to migrate toward the surface whenever it is able. Compressional stresses produced in the crust while it cools will be relieved locally by thrust faulting, which will also provide potential conduits for melt to reach the surface. We predict iron volcanism to have occurred on metallic asteroids as they cooled and discuss the implications of this process for both the evolution and the modern appearance of these bodies.

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The spatial distribution of Mercury's pyroclastic activity and the relation to lithospheric weaknesses

Cited by 19 publications

References 36 publications

Structural Analysis of the Victoria Quadrangle Fault Systems on Mercury: Timing, Geometries, Kinematics, and Relationship with the High‐Mg Region

Structural Analysis of the Victoria Quadrangle Fault Systems on Mercury: Timing, Geometries, Kinematics, and Relationship with the High‐Mg Region

Rationale for BepiColombo Studies of Mercury’s Surface and Composition

Ferrovolcanism: Iron Volcanism on Metallic Asteroids

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