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At least 253 records · Page 14

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NASA NTRS1979

Crustal structure, geophysical models and contemporary tectonism of the Colorado Plateau

A regional analysis of the crust and upper mantle of the Colorado Plateau is presented, using existing geophysical and geological data combined with new surface wave dispersion and groundwater geothermometry data; the tectonic implications of these models are also investigated. Surface wave and seismic refraction data indicate that the crust of the interior of the Colorado Plateau is 44 + or - 3 km thick, and its crustal structure is typical of stable continental areas. Pn velocities, however, appear to be lower (7.8 km/s) than would be expected in a stable region, while silica geothermometry indicates that the average heat flow for the plateau is 55 mW per sq m (1.3 HFU).

Keller, G. R.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Elastic lithosphere thickness on the moon from mare tectonic features - A formal inversion

The thickness (T) of the lunar elastic lithosphere at the time (3.6 to 3.8 billion years ago) of the earliest preserved basalt flows in circular mare basins can be estimated by inverting the observed locations of extensional tectonic features in and surrounding the maria. In performing the inversion, the lithosphere is modeled as an elastic shell with a liquid interior, and the basalt load for each mare is approximated by a set of concentric cylinders. To permit solving the forward problem of placing radial limits on the positions of the rilles around a given mare, an additional parameter F, the ratio of the radial stress at the radial limits to the maximum radial stress, is introduced. T and F are chosen to give the best weighted-squares fit of the radial limits to the observations, and are used as the initial values in a linearized matrix inversion to check the resolution and estimate errors. The application of the procedure to three maria with prominent extensional features, Humorum, Orientale, and Serenitatis, gives values of T from about 40 + or - 10 to 50 + or - 10 km, and in each case the linearized matrix equation has an exact inverse.

Comer, R. P.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Tectonics and composition of Venus

The uncompressed density of Venus is a few percent less than the Earth. The high upper mantle temperature of Venus deepens the eclogite stability field and inserts a partial melt field. A thick basaltic crust is therefore likely. The anomalous density of Venus relative to the progression from Mercury to Mars may therefore have a tectonic rather than a cosmo-chemical explanation. There may be no need to invoke differences in composition or oxidization state.

Anderson, D. L.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Gravity fields of the terrestrial planets - Long-wavelength anomalies and tectonics

The paper discusses the gravity and topography data available for four terrestrial planets (earth, moon, Mars, and Venus), with particular emphasis on drawing inferences regarding the relationship of long-wavelength anomalies to tectonics. The discussion covers statistical analyses of global planetary gravity fields, relationship of gravity anomalies to elastic and viscoelastic models, relationship of gravity anomalies to convection models, finite strength, and isostasy (or the state of isostatic compensation). The cases of the earth and the moon are discussed in some detail. A summary of comparative planetology is presented.

Phillips, R. J.↗

NASA NTRS1980

New evidence for tectonic uplift in the Diablo Plateau region, West Texas

The National Geodetic Survey completed approximately 170 km of releveling in the Diablo Plateau-Salt Basin region during the fall of 1977. The survey was specifically designed to detect possible vertical crustal movements in the area. The new releveling measurements confirm contemporary uplift of the region and suggest that uplift has been continuous for the entire time the movements were monitored (1934-1977). Although the precise mechanism responsible for the observed uplift is unknown, it is almost certainly of tectonic origin. The pattern of uparching is perturbed at the Salt Basin graben, indicating 4.2 + or - 0.3 cm of subsidence relative to its margins between 1958 and 1977.

Reilinger, R.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Tectonic stress - Models and magnitudes

It is shown that global data on directions of principal stresses in plate interiors can serve as a test of possible plate tectonic force models. Such tests performed to date favor force models in which ridge pushing forces play a significant role. For such models the general magnitude of regional deviatoric stresses is comparable to the 200-300 bar compressive stress exerted by spreading ridges. An alternative approach to estimating magnitudes of regional deviatoric stresses from stress orientations is to seek regions of local stress either demonstrably smaller than or larger than the regional stresses. The regional stresses in oceanic intraplate regions are larger than the 100-bar compression exerted by the Ninetyeast Ridge and less than the bending stresses (not less than 1 kbar) beneath Hawaii.

Solomon, S. C.↗

NASA NTRS1980

The surface of Io - Geologic units, morphology, and tectonics

The geologic units, morphology and tectonics evident on a preliminary geological map obtained from best-resolution Voyager 1 images and a preliminary pictorial map of the surface of Io are discussed. Nine volcanic units are identified on the surface which are composed of mountain materials, intervent, layered and eroded layered plains, and wall and floor, pit crater flow, shield crater flow, fissure flow and crater cone units associated with volcanic vents, along with seven types of structural features. The cumulative volcanic crater size distribution of 170 Ionian vents with craters greater than 14 km is similar to that of impact craters on other solar system bodies, with a surplus of small craters and a preponderance of volcanic vents in the Io equatorial zone. The observed surface morphologies provide evidence for a mixture of silicates and sulfur as the dominant surface material. Lineaments and grabens are also apparent on the surface, in a common planetary grid pattern.

Schaber, G. G.↗

NASA NTRS1981

A possible dependence of tectonic strength on the age of the crust in Asia

In Asia, the intensity and style of active tectonics appears to depend on the age of the last orogenic activity. The shields have remained essentially undeformed during the India-Eurasian collision, but Paleozoic and Mesozoic orogenic belts apparently have been reactivated by this collision, with a suggestion of greater reactivation and more diffuse deformation of the younger belts. If the greater observed heat flow in regions of more recent orogenic activity reflects, at least in part, a greater heat flow from the mantle beneath the younger belts, then the temperatures in the mantle beneath the younger belts should be higher than beneath older belts and shields. Because of the strong dependence on temperature of the creep strength of minerals, particularly of olivine, the crust and mantle beneath the hotter, younger belts should be much weaker than those beneath older belts. This difference in temperature, and consequent difference in strength, may be the cause of the greater reactivation of younger belts.

Molnar, P.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Tectonics and evolution of Venus

Earlier data synthesized with data recently obtained by the Pioneer Venus Orbiter are analyzed with regard to general tectonics, interior, and long-term evolution of Venus. Comprehensive topographic maps, global properties of Venus, and variations in its gravity field are investigated, and bulk properties of Venus, earth, Mars, the sun, and chondritic meteorites relevant to planetary internal structure and evolution are studied. Although Venus was found to differ less than 30% from earth in comparing all important bulk properties, it appears to have evolved differently. It is noted that a slow rotation rate, the absence of a satellite, the virtual absence of a magnetic field, the dearth of water in the atmosphere, the abundance of primordial argon, and the high surface temperature, are properties in which Venus differs most from the earth. Further results showing the positive correlation of gravity and topography at all wavelengths and the apparent absence of any feature like an ocean indicate that Venus is a one-plate planet and its evolution apparently resembles that of Mars more than that of the earth.

Phillips, R. J.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Martian thermal history, core segregation, and tectonics

A series of calculated thermal histories of Mars is presented, and their possible relation to surface tectonic history is discussed. The models include convective heat transport through an empirical approximation, and heating by radioactivity and core segregation. Initial temperature and the timing and duration of core segregation are treated as free parameters. The initial temperature is the main determinant of Martian thermal evolution: as it is varied from 20 to 100% of the present mean temperature, the maximum in surface heat flux moves from very recent to very early in Martian history. For the latter cases, the details of core segregation control the detailed timing of a peak in the thermal flux that exceeded 100 mW/sq m. It is suggested that the early disruption of cratered terrain crust in the northern hemisphere and subsequent volcanic resurfacing may have been related to core segregation. This would be consistent with a scenario in which an early period of core segregation generated a marked peak in the thermal flux that may have led to extensive partial melting and volcanism. This scenario would require Mars to have had an initial mean temperature comparable to the present value.

Davies, G. F.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Geodetic monitoring of tectonic deformation: Toward a strategy

Issues of interest and importance to society and science are presented. The problems considered are of national concern; their solutions may contribute to a better understanding of tectonic deformation and earthquake hazards. The need for additional field data, the role of geodetic measurements, the importance of both ground and space techniques, and the need for advanced instrumentation development are discussed.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1981

Characterization of the structure and tectonic of South America

Geologic studies of the South American plate were undertaken. The Guayana shield is reasonably well studied, and although data are sparce, the central Brazilian shield appears similar. Both the Amazon and Parnaiba basins seem to be related to an aulocogen structure. The collection of crustal structure information and the generation of measurement of surface wave dispersion in the shield areascontinues. Long period seismograms are digitized and analyzed. Exisiting crusted and upper mantle studies were indexed. Both MAGSAT scaler and vector magnetic anomaly data were used with regional gravity anomaly data to investigate the regional tectonic features of the South American plate.

Keller, G. R.↗

NASA NTRS1981

The crustal structure and tectonics of South America

A preliminary crustal structure map and a bibliography of crustal and upper mantle studies for South America are given. Work on the surface wave analysis and tectonic characterizations continues.

Keller, G. R.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Interpretation of planetary stress systems: Determination of tectonic over-printing in Northwest Wyoming

Structural and tectonic interpretations of planetary surfaces rely strongly on visual determination of regional structural grain. This grain can be very complex and confusing, and sorting out of discrete trends in time and space is of utmost importance. This study is a test of these techniques applied to a well known area having several discrete structural grains. In the Bighorn Basin region of Wyoming, a largely overlooked N10E structural grain has been verified with detailed structural analysis and indicates a significant change in stress orientation at the end of the Laramide orogeny.

Wise, D. U.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Correlation of Tectonic Provinces of South America and the Caribbean Region with MAGSAT Anomalies

Intensities of MAGSAT scalar magnetic anomaly data correlate with the main tectonic provinces of South America and the Caribbean region. Magnetic anomalies of the continents generally have higher amplitudes than oceanic anomalies. This is particularly evident in Central America and in the shield areas of South America. The Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico are underlain by prominent magnetic minima. Within these oceanic areas, linear magnetic highs correlate with topographic ridges which separate the Gulf of Mexico, the Colombian Basin, and the Venezuelan Basin. The boundaries of the Caribbean plate occur along magnetic gradients which are particularly sharp along the northern and western margins of the plate, but gradational along the southern margin where they merge with the Andean Cordillera. The anomalies along the western margin of the South American plate are also distinct and appear to be separate from those of the adjacent ocean basin. Eastern South America is characterized by magnetic anomalies which commonly extend into the Atlantic Ocean.

Lidiak, E. G.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Satellite Elevation Magnetic and Gravity Models of Major South American Plate Tectonic Features

Some MAGSAT scalar and vector magnetic anomaly data together with regional gravity anomaly data are being used to investigate the regional tectonic features of the South American Plate. An initial step in this analysis is three dimensional modeling of magnetic and gravity anomalies of major structures such as the Andean subduction zone and the Amazon River Aulacogen at satellite elevations over an appropriate range of physical properties using Gaus-Legendre quadrature integration method. In addition, one degree average free-air gravity anomalies of South America and adjacent marine areas are projected to satellite elevations assuming a spherical Earth and available MAGSAT data are processed to obtain compatible data sets for correlation. Correlation of these data sets is enhanced by reduction of the MAGSAT data to radial polarization because of the profound effect of the variation of the magnetic inclination over South America.

Vonfrese, R. R. B.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Relation of MAGSAT Anomalies to the Main Tectonic Provinces of South America

Comparison of MAGSAT scalar magnetic anomaly data to the main tectonic provinces and boundaries of South America reveals a number of geologic correlations. South America is divisible into a broad platform of Precambrian shields and cratons separated by Phanerozoic basins, grabens and aulacogens to the east, the Phanerozoic Patagonian Platform to the south, and the Mesozoic to Cenozoic Andean Fold Belt and Caribbean Mountain System to the west and north. The continental shields are mainly more magnetic then continental basins and orogenic belts. Cratons, mainly covered by younger sedimentary rocks, are generally associated with magnetic gradients. Most of the anomalies associated with the Patagonian Platform are positive and have higher amplitudes eastward away from the Andean Fold Belt. The northern Andes are coincident with positive magnetic anomalies, whereas the central and southern Andes are associated mainly with negative anomalies.

Lidiak, E. G.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Tectonic contrasts between Venus and the earth

The long-wave features of the gravity field of Venus differ from those of the earth's field not only in their strong positive correlation with topography, but also in their gentler spectral slope. These properties are inconsistent with generation of the gravity field by plate tectonics or by processes at great depths; they are consistent with generation by a mantle convective system supporting the broad features in topography with an effective compensation depth of about 450 km.

Kaula, W. M.↗