Deformational Features and Processes

Spring 2003

MASS MOVEMENTS - THE HANDIWORK OF GRAVITY

Earth Phenomena, Terminology & Mechanics of Mass Movements

Long runout landslides and features and scale, Rock Glaciers, Mudflows

Long Runout Landslides
Moon, Mass wasting in Dawes crater
Mars, graben, collapse, slump
MOC frame no R0100126, described in MGS MOC Release MOC 2-326, 04 April, 2003 showing classic landslide features plus light impact cratering. The dark spots are large boulders.
Venus, landslides
Mercury, slide
Callisto, Mass movement deposits
Comparisons, Callisto and properties

FAULT TYPES

fault classes

dip-slip

strike-slip

EXTENSIONAL DEFORMATION

Moon, rille
Mars, graben 1, graben 2
Venus, Lakshmi
Mercury, graben
Comparison

COMPRESSIONAL DEFORMATION

Moon
Mars
Venus, ridged terrain
Mercury, "mare" ridges, global thrusts faults 1, and example 2
Comparison, mare ridges

STRIKE-SLIP DEFORMATION

Galilean Satellites
Examples of both left and right-lateral motion in the Conamara Chaos region, Europa.
Possible in Ancient Mars Strata
MOC Frame no. RO301370, described in MGS MOC Release no. 2-348, 2 May, 2003 shows ancient layered deposits with small faults offsetting layers.

REFERENCES

General:

Shelton, J. S., 1966. Geology Illustrated. W. H. Freeman and Co., San Fran., pp. 120-124, 328-331.

Greeley, R., 1987. Planetary Landscapes. Allen and Unwin, Boston, pp. 57-62, 164, 183-184.

Mechanics:

Landslides:

Hsu, K. J., 1975. "Catastrophic debris streams (Sturz-Stroms) generated by rockfalls". G. S. A. Bull 86, pp. 129-140

Melosh, H. J., 1983. "Acoustic Fluidization". American Scientist 71, 158-165.

Debris Flows:

Johnson, A. M., 1970. Physical Processes in Geology. Freeman, San Fran., pp. 433-445.

Mars:

Venus:

Mercury:

- Bruce Murray -

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