Open AccessEuropa: Stratigraphy and geological history of the anti‐Jovian region from Galileo E14 solid‐state imaging data
Author(s) -
Prockter Louise M.,
Antman Amy M.,
Pappalardo Robert T.,
Head James W.,
Collins Geoffrey C.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: planets
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/1998je001015
Subject(s) - geology , impact crater , albedo (alchemy) , stratigraphy , jovian , paleontology , volcano , geologic map , jupiter (rocket family) , tectonics , astrobiology , astronomy , saturn , physics , space exploration , planet , art , performance art , art history
A tidal bulge and associated deformation are predicted to occur in Europa's anti‐Jovian region. Voyager data showed polygonal, low‐albedo bands in this region. It was demonstrated that when the low‐albedo material comprising these bands was removed, the margins could be reconstructed, suggesting that fracturing and lateral separation has occurred. Higher‐resolution Galileo images of a 300,000 km 2 portion of the anti‐Jovian region permit recognition and mapping of a variety of features and documentation of the geological history. We identify background ridged plains, several distinctive types of bands and ridges, lenticulae, and regions of chaotic terrain. These images are at relatively low incidence angles; thus albedo variations predominate over topography. This presents a challenge to morphologically based mapping but does not preclude development of a regional stratigraphy. Stratigraphic relationships show that dark bands crosscut the bright ridged plains and are themselves disrupted by lenticulae and chaos, suggesting a geological history beginning with background ridged plains, followed by a period dominated by band formation, with the most recent history predominantly characterized by formation of lenticulae and chaos. The paucity of impact craters in this region indicates that the entire sequence of units is geologically recent.