Extension and contraction within volcanically buried impact craters and basins on Mercury

Abstract

Research Article| December 01, 2012 Extension and contraction within volcanically buried impact craters and basins on Mercury Thomas R. Watters; Thomas R. Watters * 1Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560, USA *E-mail: watterst@si.edu. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Sean C. Solomon; Sean C. Solomon 2Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, DC 20015, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Christian Klimczak; Christian Klimczak 2Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, DC 20015, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Andrew M. Freed; Andrew M. Freed 3Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar James W. Head; James W. Head 4Department of Geological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Carolyn M. Ernst; Carolyn M. Ernst 5The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland 20723, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar David M. Blair; David M. Blair 3Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Timothy A. Goudge; Timothy A. Goudge 4Department of Geological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Paul K. Byrne Paul K. Byrne 2Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, DC 20015, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Thomas R. Watters * 1Center for Earth and Planetary Studies, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560, USA Sean C. Solomon 2Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, DC 20015, USA Christian Klimczak 2Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, DC 20015, USA Andrew M. Freed 3Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA James W. Head 4Department of Geological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, USA Carolyn M. Ernst 5The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland 20723, USA David M. Blair 3Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA Timothy A. Goudge 4Department of Geological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, USA Paul K. Byrne 2Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, DC 20015, USA *E-mail: watterst@si.edu. Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 15 Feb 2012 Revision Received: 07 Jun 2012 Accepted: 10 Jun 2012 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 © 2012 Geological Society of America Geology (2012) 40 (12): 1123–1126. https://doi.org/10.1130/G33725.1 Article history Received: 15 Feb 2012 Revision Received: 07 Jun 2012 Accepted: 10 Jun 2012 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Thomas R. Watters, Sean C. Solomon, Christian Klimczak, Andrew M. Freed, James W. Head, Carolyn M. Ernst, David M. Blair, Timothy A. Goudge, Paul K. Byrne; Extension and contraction within volcanically buried impact craters and basins on Mercury. Geology 2012;; 40 (12): 1123–1126. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G33725.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Orbital images of Mercury obtained by the MESSENGER spacecraft have revealed families of troughs, interpreted to be graben, on volcanic plains material that largely or completely buried preexisting craters and basins. The graben are partially to fully encircled by rings of contractional wrinkle ridges localized over the rims of the buried impact features to form systems of associated contractional and extensional landforms. Most of the buried craters and basins with graben identified to date are located in the extensive volcanic plains that cover much of Mercury's northern high latitudes. The distinctive relationship between wrinkle ridges and graben in buried craters and basins on Mercury is interpreted to be the result of a combination of extensional stresses from cooling and thermal contraction of thick lava flow units and compressional stresses from cooling and contraction of the planet's interior. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.