Engineering topics

Solomon, Sean C.

Publications and source records attributed to Solomon, Sean C..

135 records · Page 8

NASA NTRS1987

Secular cooling of Earth as a source of intraplate stress

The once popular idea that changes in planetary volume play an important role in terrestrial orogeny and tectonics was generally discarded with the acceptance of plate tectonics. It is nonetheless likely that the Earth has been steadily cooling over the past 3-4 billion years, and the global contraction that accompanied such cooling would have led to a secular decrease in the radius of curvature of the plates. The implications of this global cooling and contraction are explored here for the intraplate stress field and the evolution of continental plates.

Solomon, Sean C.↗

NASA NTRS1987

A test of the hypothesis that impact-induced fractures are preferred sites for later tectonic activity

Impact cratering has been an important process in the solar system. The cratering event is generally accompanied by faulting in adjacent terrain. Impact-induced faults are nearly ubiquitous over large areas on the terrestrial planets. The suggestion is made that these fault systems, particularly those associated with the largest impact features are preferred sites for later deformation in response to lithospheric stresses generated by other processes. The evidence is a perceived clustering of orientations of tectonic features either radial or concentric to the crater or basin in question. An opportunity exists to test this suggestion more directly on Earth. The terrestrial continents contain more than 100 known or probable impact craters, with associated geological structures mapped to varying levels of detail. Prime facie evidence for reactivation of crater-induced faults would be the occurrence of earthquakes on these faults in response to the intraplate stress field. Either an alignment of epicenters with mapped fault traces or fault plane solutions indicating slip on a plane approximately coincident with that inferred for a crater-induced fault would be sufficient to demonstrate such an association.

Solomon, Sean C.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Lithospheric loading and tectonics of the lunar irregular maria

Many of the tectonic features associated with the circular maria are the result of stresses generated by loading of the lunar lithosphere by mare basalt units. The hypothesis is tested that the irregular lunar maria share with the circular maria the processes leading to the formation of associated graben and mare ridge systems. A formulation of the lithospheric flexure problem that accounts for the variable distribution of basalt loads for the irregular maria is applied. On the basis of the tectonic structures and geologic history of each of the major irregular maria, as well as models for the distribution of mare basalt for each region, the predicted stress fields are compared with the distribution of tectonic features for a range of assumed values of the thickness of the elastic lithosphere. The best fitting values for lithospheric thickness beneath the regular maria are then compared with those previously inferred for the circular maria.

Hall, J. Lynn↗

NASA NTRS1987

Limits on modes of lithospheric heat transport on Venus from impact crater density

Based on the observed density of impact craters on the Venus surface obtained from Venera 15-16 radar images, a formalism to estimate the upper bounds on the contributions made to lithospheric heat transport by volcanism and lithospheric recycling is presented. The Venera 15-16 data, if representative of the entire planet, limit the average rate of volcanic resurfacing on Venus to less than 2 cu km/yr (corresponding to less than 1 percent of the global heat loss), and limit the rate of lithospheric recycling to less than 1.5 sq km/yr (and probably to less than 0.5 sq km/yr), corresponding to 25 percent (and to 9 percent) of the global heat loss. The present results indicate that heat loss at lithospheric levels in Venus is dominated by conduction.

Grimm, Robert E.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Secular cooling of the earth as a source of intraplate stress

As a result of secular cooling and contraction of the earth, an increasingly extensional horizontal stress is imposed on the central portions of the plates. While the rate of increase of this stress is small in most situations, it is enhanced for large plates and during any episodes of accelerated global cooling. This source of stress may have contributed to the rifting and breakup of long-lived supercontinental plates.

Solomon, Sean C.↗

NASA NTRS1987

A test of the longevity of impact-induced faults as preferred sites for later tectonic activity

The hypothesis that impact-induced faults have been preferred sites for later deformation in response to lithospheric stresses has been suggested for several planets and satellites. This hypothesis is investigated on earth by examining whether terrestrial impact structures show higher rates of nearby earthquake activity than do surrounding intraplate regions. For 28 of 30 probable impact structures having an original crater 20 km or more in diameter, the rates of nearby seismicity have been no higher than the regional background rates. For two large probable impact structures, Vredefort and Charlevoix, with higher than normal rates of nearby seismicity, factors other than slip on impact-induced faults appear to control the occurrence of earthquakes. It is concluded that impact-induced faults, at least on earth, do not persist as lithospheric 'weak zones' for periods in excess of several million years after the impact event.

Solomon, Sean C.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Geodetic measurement of deformation in the central Mojave Desert, California

Data from triangulation and trilateration surveys made during 1934-1982 are used to calculate shear strain rates in the central Mojave Desert of California. For the region between the Helendale and Camp Rock faults the shear strain rate was determined to be 0.16 + or - 0.03 microstrain/yr, with maximum right-lateral shear strain occurring on a plane oriented N41 deg W + or - 5 deg. If this deformation is due to right-lateral motion across the northwest trending local faults, the average shear straining corresponds to a relative displacement of 6.7 + or - 1.3 mm/yr across this portion of the network, accounting for about 12 percent of the predicted 56 mm/yr of relative motion between the North Atlantic and Pacific plates. From the Camp Rock fault eastward across the network there is a transition from significant to very low strain rates. Examination of nine focal mechanisms and their relation to the local geology and the strain data suggests that most of the long-term displacement occurs on the major northwest trending faults oriented nearly along the direction of relative motion between the North American and Pacific plates. Secondary faulting, controlled by a Coulomb-Anderson failure mechanism or by slip on preexisting faults can account for the occurrence of earthquakes on faults of other orientations.

Sauber, Jeanne↗

NASA NTRS1986

Elysium region, Mars - Tests of lithospheric loading models for the formation of tectonic features

The hypothesis that the tectonic features in the Elysium region are the product of stress produced by loading of the Martian lithosphere is tested. The lithospheric loading models for the formation of tectonic features in the Elysium region are evaluated under local loading, regional loading of the lithosphere from above and below, and quasi-global loading by Tharsis. The physiographic features in the Elysium region are described. The stress fields predicted by volcanic loading and uplift of the Martian lithosphere are compared with the tectonic features in the Elysium region. It is noted that the comparison suggests the succession of stress fields operating at different times in the region and supports the hypothesis.

Hall, J. Lynn↗

NASA NTRS1986

On the early thermal state of the moon

New theories for the formation of the moon from an accretion disk thrown into circumterrestrial orbit after the collision of a planet-sized object with the earth have led to a reexamination of the tectonic consequences of an initially molten moon. Even the smallest estimates of radial contraction that would accompany cooling of the moon from an initially molten state predict accumulated near-surface horizontal compressive stresses considerably in excess of the compressive strength of the upper lunar crust, estimated to be 0.5 to 1 kbar on the basis of topographic relief, the stress levels necessary to form mare ridges in mascon mare basins, and measurements of rock friction. Various mechanisms for relieving or modifying such large near-surface stresses are considered, including viscoelastic effects, widespread development of major fault systems, impact gardening, and opposing stresses arising from other global-scale processes. All of these mechanisms face substantial difficulties when tested against geological and mechanical information from the moon and other terrestrial planets. These considerations pose a serious problem for theories of lunar origin that call for an initially molten state.

Solomon, Sean C.↗