极地流域和火星地二分化的起源
Jeffrey C Andrews-Hanna1, Maria T Zuber, W Bruce Banerdt
1Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA. jhanna@mit.edu
Nature
|June 27, 2008
概括
火星地二分法,一个主要的行星特征,是一个圆,表明一个巨大的冲击创造了这个古老的区别在火星的北部低地和南部高地之间.
科学领域:
- 行星科学 行星科学
- 地质物理学 地质物理学
- 地质地质地质地质地质地
背景情况:
- 火星表现出其南部高地和北部低地之间突出的近半球二分法.
- 这种分歧的特点是沿着其边界的地厚度发生了显著的变化,这表明它是地球上最古老的特征之一.
- 这种二分法的起源仍然不确定,假设包括巨大的撞击或地幔对流.
研究的目的:
- 为了限制二分法边界的位置,在火星的塔西斯火山上升之下.
- 使用重力和地形数据,将Tharsis补偿与二分法的影响区分开来.
主要方法:
- 分析火星重力和地形数据.
- 建模以分离Tharsis上升的静态补偿效应和地二分法.
- 将二分法边界与圆模型相匹配.
主要成果:
- 在Tharsis下方的二分界限已成功定位.
- 发现边界被精确地表示为一个长圆,尺寸大约为10,600x8,500公里,中心位于67°N,208°E.
- 这种圆形状对二分法的起源提供了强烈的约束.
结论:
- 火星地二分法的圆性质最简单地由一个巨大的撞击事件解释.
- 这次撞击可能代表了迄今为止在太阳系中发现的最大的这种结构.
- 这些发现支持巨大的撞击是火星古代二分法的主要原因.
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