Origins and Growth of Fractures on Low Gravity Bodies: Insight from Earth to Asteroid 4 Vesta
Fracturing on small planetary bodies is controlled by low gravity, which differs from what is observed on Earth and other large planets. Studying the tectonics of small bodies is crucial for understanding the planetary evolution of recent and past lithospheres, from large to small, rocky to non-rocky bodies in the Solar System. Asteroid 4 Vesta displays a remarkably large set of troughs, Divalia Fossae, encircling the asteroid around the equator, while planetary-scale impact basins occupy most of the southern hemisphere. A series of geologic constraints are inconsistent with the leading hypothesis that the Divalia Fossae were directly formed by the large impact in the southern hemisphere via normal faulting, but rather had a spinning-related origin as a long-term consequence of large impacts, accommodating opening-mode displacements. A field investigation of the Koa’e Fault System, Hawaii studied the transition from jointing to faulting, which is comparable to the proposed fracturing process on low-gravity bodies. This research investigates several topics related to the growth and origin of fractures on low-gravity planetary bodies, drawing a comprehensive understanding of the deformation of planetary lithospheres.
Speaker: Jupiter Hansen, University of Alabama
Attend in person or via Zoom (see weblink)
Tuesday, 02/04/25
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