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At least 1,477 records · Page 82
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1985

Radial rift and block tectonics around the Tharsis bulge: Introductional postulation

Although the Vallis Marineris canyon and radial fossae grabens have been extensively studied, their origin and formation mechanism is still the subject of numerous questions. Possible rift formation is only one point of view and does not explain the rifting mechanism and the radial pattern of these structures around the Tharsis bulge. Both active and passive rifting must be taken into account. According to the active mechanism the building of a colcanic complex like the Tharsis bulge is caused by the rising of a huge mantle plume and adjoining extrusions which tap the generated magma. The surrounding fossae and valley structures are caused by more passive crustal rifting due to tensional failure of the surface layers. The main rising mantle plume activated and regenerated failure patterns radial to the centre of activity. These radial zones of weakness are then most easily utilized by the rising mantle plume. Deep zones of weakness regulate the penetration and distribution of hot mantle rock into upper levels while, contrarily, the effective impingement of the hot mantle plume into the lithosphere opens up new weakness zones.

Raitala, J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Heat flow and thermal processes in the Jornada delMuerto, New Mexico

Most heat flow data in rifts are uncertain largely because of hydrologic disturbances in regions of extensive fracturing. Estimates of heat flow in deep petroleum tests within a large basin of the Rio Grande rift, which has suffered little syn-rift fracturing, may begin to provide clearer insight into the relationships between high heat flow and crustal thinning processes. The Jornada del Muerto is a large basin located in the Rio Grande rift of south central New Mexico. The region of interest within the Jornada del Muerto is centered about 30 km east of the town of Truth or Consequences, and is approximately 60 km north-south by 30 km east-west. High heat flows are estimated for the region. Values increase from about 90 mWm(-2) in the northern part of the study area to about 125 mWm(-2) in the southern part. These high heat flows are rather enigmatic because in the immediate vicinities of the sites there is little evidence of Cenozoic volcanism or syn-rift extensional tectonics. It is suggested that the geothermal anomaly in the southern Jornada del Muerto (approx. 125 to approx. 95 mWm(-2) results from some type of mass movement-heat transfer mechanism operating in the crust just below the elastic layer. This conclusion is consistent with the geologic and geophysical data which describe a thin crust, apparently devoid of features indicative of extensional-tectonics in the upper part of the lastic crust.

Reiter, M.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Cenozoic extension and magmatism in Arizona

The Basin and Range Province of Arizona was the site of two episodes of Cenozoic extension that can be distinguished on the basis of timing, direction and style of extension, and associated magmatism. The first episode of extension occurred during Oligocene to mid-Miocene time and resulted in the formation of low-angle detachment faults, ductile shear zones (metamorphic core complexes), and regional domains of tilted fault blocks. Evidence for extreme middle Tertiary crustal extension in a NE to SW to SW to ENE to WSW direction has been recognized in various parts of the Basin and Range of Arizona, especially in the Lake Mead area and along the belf of metamorphic core complexes that crosses southern Arizona from Parker to Tucson. New geologic mapping and scrutiny of published geologic maps indicates that significant middle Tertiary extension is more widely distributed than previously thought. The state can be subdivided into regional tilt-block domains in which middle Tertiary rocks dip consistently in one direction. The dip direction in any tilt-block domain is generally toward the breakaway of a low-angle detachment fault that underlies the tilt-block domain; we interpret this an indicating that normal faults in the upper plate of a detechment fault are generally synthetic, rather than antithetic, with respect to the detachment fault.

Reynolds, S. J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Kinematics of a large-scale intraplate extending lithosphere: The Basin-Range

Upper lithospheric structure of the Cordilleran Basin Range (B-R) is characterised by an E-W symmetry of velocity layering. The crust is 25 km thick on its eastern active margin, thickening to 30 km within the central portion and thinning to approx. 25 km on the west. Pn velocities of 7.8 to 7.9 km/s characterize the upper mantle low velocity cushion, 7.4 km/s to 7.5 km/s, occurs at a depth of approx. 25 km in the eastern B-R and underlies the area of active extension. An upper-crustal low-velocity zone in the eastern B-R shows a marked P-wave velocity inversion of 7% at depths of 7 to 10 km also in the area of greatest extension. The seismic velocity models for this region of intraplate extension suggest major differences from that of a normal, thermally underformed continental lithosphere. Interpretations of seismic reflection data demonstrate the presence of extensive low-angle reflections in the upper-crust of the eastern B-R at depths from near-surface to 7 to 10 km. These reflections have been interpreted to represent low-angle normal fault detachments or reactivated thrusts. Seismic profiles across steeply-dipping normal faults in unconsolidated sediments show reflections from both planar to downward flatening (listric) faults that in most cases do not penetrate the low-angle detachments. These faults are interpreted as late Cenozoic and cataclastic mylonitic zones of shear displacement.

Smith, R. B.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Magnetization of lower crust and interpretation of regional magnetic anomalies - Example from Lofoten and Vesteralen, Norway

During the last 20 years, studies have been conducted regarding the regional, or long-wavelength, geomagnetic anomalies of the lower crust of the earth. The present paper is mainly concerned with the petrologic and geophysical interpretation of the observed features. Attention is given to magnetic mineralogy and magnetic properties of high-grade rocks from Lofoten and Vesteralen, regional geology and geophysics, field measurements and sampling, magnetic mineralogy of the lower crust, the effects of metamorphism upon magnetic mineralogy and magnetic properties of high-grade rocks, susceptibility-temperature relations and the Hopkinson effect, and petrologic sources of regional crustal magnetic anomalies.

Schlinger, C. M.↗
NASA NTRS1985

A preliminary harmonic spline model from Magsat data

A preliminary main field model for 1980 derived from a carefully selected subset of Magsat vector measurements, using the method of harmonic splines, is presented. This model (PHS /80/) for preliminary harmonic splines is the smoothest model (in the sense that the rms radial field at the core surface is minimum) consistent with the measurements (with an rms misfit of 10 nT to account for crustal and external fields as well as noise in the measurement procedure). Therefore PHS (80) is more suitable for studies of the core than models derived with the traditional least squares approach (e.g., GSFC /9/80/). A comparison is conducted of the characteristics of the harmonic spline spectrum, topology of the core field and especially the null-flux curves (loci where the radial field is zero) and the flux through patches bounded by such curves. PHS (80) is less complex than GSFC (9/80) and is therefore more representative of that part of the core field that the data constrain.

Shure, L.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Surface deformation associated with the November 23, 1977, Caucete, Argentina, earthquake sequence

The 1977 Caucete (San Juan) earthquake considered in the present paper occurred near the Sierra Pie de Palo in the Sierras Pampeanas tectonic province of western Argentina. In the study reported, coseismic surface deformation is combined with seismic observations (main shock and aftershocks, both teleseismic and local data) to place constraints on the geometry and slip of the main fault responsible for the 1977 earthquake. The implications of the 1977 event for long-term crustal shortening and earthquake recurrence rates in this region are also discussed. It is concluded that the 1977 Caucete earthquake was accompanied by more than 1 m of vertical uplift.

Kadinsky-Cade, K.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Convection beneath young oceanic lithosphere - Implications for thermal structure and gravity

Small-scale convection under the oceanic lithosphere which begins in the first 5 m.y. of cooling can produce a gravity signal with the amplitude and wavelength observed for large areas of the central Pacific and southern Indian oceans using Seasat altimeter data. The trend of the observed anomalies is parallel to the direction of plate motion as might be expected if they were produced by small-scale convection. Models predict that the wavelengths of gravity anomalies increase more rapidly with age than is observed. The persistence of short relatively uniform wavelength anomalies (less than 200 km) to crustal ages of 50 Ma may indicate that they were produced when the lithosphere was very young and thin and were 'frozen in' as cooling thickened the elastic lithosphere. Small-scale convection which begins under very young lithosphere does not violate other geophysical data such as the rate of seafloor subsidence and variations of geoid height with age. After convection has begun, the subsidence due to thermal contraction within the lithosphere varies linearly with age, in the absence of mantle heat sources, although the rate of change of these quantities is affected by convection. Much of the variation of the geoid height across fracture zones can be fit by a model which includes small-scale convection.

Buck, W. R.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Vertical averages of rheology of the continental lithosphere Relation to thin sheet parameters

The calculations of the vertically-integrated strengths of the lithosphere and the Agrand number are described. The crustal and mantle contributions to the vertically-integrated strength, which is approximated from the brittle layer, and the depth and stress difference at the brittle-ductile transtion, is examined. The effective power laws for vertically-integrated rheology, which are dependent on the thermal stability of the lithosphere and the depth to the brittle-ductile transition in the crust, are studied. The relationship between the Agrand number and vertically-integrated strengths of the lithosphere and the thermal regime of the uppermost mantle and the stress state in the upper crust is analyzed.

Sonder, L. J.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Interpretation of satellite elevation magnetic anomalies

The present discussion is based on a study of the magnetic field data obtained with the aid of the magnetic field satellite Magsat, deployed in October 1979, over most of the earth during a 7.5-month mission. Inversions using spherical harmonic coefficients are considered along with the inversion of residual fields. In order to perform the correct operation, it is necessary to add on to the source function produced by the inversion process a magnetization function which has no external field. Such a function is known as an annihilator. The use of the annihilator for Pacific Ocean anomalies is discussed. Attention is given to models of oceanic crustal magnetization, and continental long-wavelength anomalies. It is found that in continental regions the annihilator is also useful if induced magnetizations are thought to be responsible for the long-wavelength anomaly.

Harrison, C. G. A.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Finite strain calculations of continental deformation. I - Method and general results for convergent zones. II - Comparison with the India-Asia collision zone

The present investigation has the objective to perform numerical experiments on a rheologically simple continuum model for the continental lithosphere. It is attempted to obtain a better understanding of the dynamics of continental deformation. Calculations are presented of crustal thickness distributions, stress, strain, strain rate fields, latitudinal displacements, and finite rotations, taking into account as basis a model for continental collision which treats the litoshphere as a thin viscous layer subject to indenting boundary conditions. The results of this paper support the conclusions of England and McKenzie (1982) regarding the role of gravity in governing the deformation of a thin viscous layer subject to indenting boundary conditions. The results of the experiments are compared with observations of topography, stress and strain rate fields, and palaeomagnetic latitudinal displacements in Asia.

Houseman, G.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Support of long-wavelength loads on Venus and implications for internal structure

The development of a thin-shell formulation to compute stress in a planetary lithosphere is discussed. The formulation uses spherical harmonic representations of the gravity field and topography as boundary conditions to produce lateral density anomalies at two depths. The stress fields for displacement, crustal thickness anomaly, and mantle density anomaly, which are required for the boundary conditions, are calculated. The computed stresses are compared to the tectonic features of Venus. The data reveal that the highland areas are formed in a state of isostasy or uplift and are supported by dynamic processes in the mantle. Lithospheric models predict low-density mantle beneath Alta, Beta, Eisila, Thetis, and Thetus Regiones, and thick crust accompanied by higher-density mantle under Ishtar Terra and Ovda Regio.

Banerdt, W. B.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Cosmogenic helium in a terrestrial igneous rock

New helium isotopic measurements on samples from the Kula formation of Haleakala volcano of Hawaii are presented that are best explained by an in situ cosmogenic origin for a significant fraction of the He-3. Results from crushing and stepwise heating experiments, and consideration of the exposure age of the sample at the surface and the cosmic ray fluxes strongly support this hypothesis. Although crustal cosmogenic helium has been proposed previously, this represents its first unambiguous identification in a terrestrial sample.

Kurz, M. D.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Neutron stars as cosmic hadron physics laboratories

Extensive observations of Her-1 with the Exosat satellite have led to a new understanding of both the dynamics of neutron-star superfluids and the free precession of neutron stars. Detailed microscopic calculations on neutron matter and the properties of the pinned crustal superfluid are provided to serve as a basis for comparing theory with observation on neutron stars. Topics discussed include the Hadron matter equation of state, neutron star structure, Hadron superfluids, the vortex creep theory, Vela pulsar glitches, astrophysical constraints on neutron matter energy gaps, the 35 day periodicity of Her-1, and the neutron matter equation of state. It is concluded that since the post-glitch fits and the identification of the 35th periodicity in Her X-1 as stellar wobble require a rigid neutron matter equation of state, the astrophysical evidence for such an equation seems strong, as well as that for an intermediate Delta(rho) curve.

Pines, D.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Cenozoic thermal, mechanical and tectonic evolution of the Rio Grande rift

Two areas of New Mexico which exhibit complex but similar Cenozoic histories of extensional tectonism are analyzed. The first study area is the Basin and Range province and southern Rio Gande rift in southern New Mexico; the second study area is the central Rio Grande rift in central and northern New Mexico, the southern San Luis basin, the Espanola basin, and the Albuquerque basin. Two phases of extension were identified: the first phase which began in mid-Oligocene was characterized by local high-strain extension events, low-angle faulting, and the development of broad, shallow basins, all indicating an approximately NE-SW + or - 25 deg extension direction; the later phase which occurred primarily in the late Miocene, was characterized by synchronous, high-angle faulting, resulting in large vertical strains which produced the modern Rio Grande rift morphology. Extension direction was approximately E-W. Geotherms were estimated and lithospheric strength curves were calculated for these two phases of extension. A high geotherm was deduced for the early phase resulting in a shallow crustal brittle transition, and insignificant mantle strength. The lithosphere subsequently cooled, resulting in a significant zone of mantle strength beneath the Moho. It is concluded that the interrelationship among regional and local prerifting, synrifting, and postrifting events in the Rio Grande rift attests to the fact that the rifting (in the region studied) should be considered in the context of other geologic events.

Morgan, P.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Carbon exchange between the mantle and the crust, and its effect upon the atmosphere - Today compared to archean time

Estimates of the midocean ridge mantle carbon flux, whose exchange of carbon with the earth's surface has over geological time influenced atmospheric CO2, can be made by estimating concentration ratios of carbon to helium in hydrothermal fluids and tholeiitic glasses, followed by their multiplication by the oceanic primordial He-3 flux. A net carbon flux from the mantle of 1 billion moles/yr would require less than 700 million years to generate the present day crustal carbon inventory. It is deduced that the atmosphere of 3 billion years ago contained at least two orders of magnitude more CO2 than it does today.

Des Marais, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Tectonic escape in the evolution of the continental crust

The continental crust originated by processes similar to those operating today and continents consist of material most of which originated long ago in arc-systems that have later been modified, especially at Andean margins and in continental collisions where crustal thickening is common. Collision-related strike-slip motion is a general process in continental evolution. Because buoyant continental (or arc) material generally moves during collision toward a nearby oceanic margin where less buoyant lithosphere crops out, the process of major strike-slip dominated motion toward a 'free-face' is called 'tectonic escape'. Tectonic escape is and has been an element in continental evolution throughout recorded earth-history. It promotes: (1) rifting and the formation of rift-basins with thinning of thickened crust; (2) pervasive strike-slip faulting late in orogenic history which breaks up mountain belts across strike and may juxtapose unrelated sectors in cross-section; (3) localized compressional mountains and related foreland-trough basins.

Burke, K.↗
NASA NTRS1985

SM-ND isotopic studies of proterozoic anorthosites Systematics and implications

Sm-Nd isotopic studies of anorthosites can be used to provide information on their ages of crystallization and metamorphism, contamination history, and mantle sources. Proterozoic anorthosites in the Grenville and Nain Provinces of eastern North America crystallized between about 1100 and 1600 Ma, and some were metamorphosed at about 1000 Ma. Grenville Province anorthosite massifs were derived from depleted mantle. It is not clear whether massifs and related mafic intrusions throughout the Nain Province of Labrador were derived from enriched mantle, or were contaminated by early Archean (greater than 3500 Ma) silicic crustal materials, heretofore thought to be restricted to coastal Labrador.

Ashwal, L. D.↗