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Physical models of grooved terrain tectonics on Ganymede
Author(s) -
Sims Darrell W.,
Wyrick Danielle Y.,
Ferrill David A.,
Morris Alan P.,
Collins Geoffrey C.,
Pappalardo Robert T.,
Colton Shan L.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2014gl060359
Subject(s) - terrain , geology , lithosphere , graben , tectonics , block (permutation group theory) , fault (geology) , horst and graben , impact crater , geophysics , seismology , astrobiology , geometry , ecology , mathematics , biology , physics
Grooved terrain on Ganymede consists of distinct areas of parallel to subparallel ridges and troughs at a variety of spatial scales. Grooved terrain has been interpreted as the product of tectonism in the form of fault‐accommodated distributed lithospheric extension. We use physical analog methods to test the formation of grooved terrain by imbricate normal faulting in response to distributed extension. Faults and fault systems produced in the models are geometrically and kinematically similar to patterns inferred for some grooved terrains on Ganymede. The high degree of similarity between model structures and those observed on Ganymede indicates that rotational half‐graben brittle block faulting can explain at least some tectonic resurfacing on Ganymede and that 20% extension is sufficient to form structures analogous to grooved terrain.