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At least 505 records · Page 28

The extraordinary radar echoes from Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto - A geological perspective

Electromagnetic echo-scattering models, empirical and theoretical considerations on regolith formation, and ice physics, are presently invoked in a geologic treatment of the anomalous radar properties of the icy Galilean satellites. These are held to arise because of the electrical differences between ice and silicates, and the absence of icy regoliths' ice-density structures in silicate regoliths. Icy regoliths may uniquely smooth out discontinuities between solid ejecta fragments and more porous surroundings, forming refraction-scattering 'lenses'; high-order multiple scatterings will thereby become more likely responsible for the echoes than low-order scattering.

Ostro, Steven J.↗

Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto - New radar results from Arecibo and Goldstone

Observations of the icy Galilean satellites, performed during 1987-1991 with the Goldstone 3.5 cm system and the Arecibo 13 cm system, show significant enhancements in the knowledge of the satellite's radar properties. The most prominent radar features are tentatively identified with Galileo Regio and the Valhalla basin. Estimates of echo Doppler frequencies show Callisto to be lagging its ephemeris by 200 +/- 50 km.

Ostro, S. J.↗

Secondary Fracturing of Europa's Crust in Response to Combined Slip and Dilation Along Strike-Slip Faults

A commonly observed feature in faulted terrestrial rocks is the occurrence of secondary fractures alongside faults. Depending on exact morphology, such fractures have been termed tail cracks, wing cracks, kinks, or horsetail fractures, and typically form at the tip of a slipping fault or around small jogs or steps along a fault surface. The location and orientation of secondary fracturing with respect to the fault plane or the fault tip can be used to determine if fault motion is left-lateral or right-lateral.

Kattenhorn, S. A.↗

Wavy and Cycloidal Lineament Formation on Europa from Combined Diurnal and Nonsynchronous Stresses

In a companion abstract, we show that fractures propagated into combined diurnal and nonsynchronous rotation (NSR) stress fields can be cycloidal, "wavy," or arcuate in planform as the relative proportion of NSR stress in increased. These transitions occur as NSR stress accumulates over approx. 0 to 10 deg of ice shell rotation, for average fracture propagation speeds of approx. 1 to 3 m/s. Here we consider the NSR speed parameter space for these morphological transitions, and explore the effects on cycloids of adding NSR to diurnal stress. Fitting individual Europan lineaments can constrain the combined NSR plus diurnal stress field at the time of formation.

Gleeson, Damhnait↗

Human Mission to Europa and Titan - Why Not? Executive Summary

Outline a step-by-step Development Plan of the key barriers and their solutions to enable human exploration of the outer solar system. Secondary: Perform a case study which supports and emphasizes the key elements of the Development Plan.

Finarelli, Margaret G.↗