Investigating the origin of candidate lava channels on Mercury with MESSENGER data: Theory and observations

• Published in: Journal of geophysical research. Planets 2013-03, Vol.118 (3), p.471-486
• Main Authors: Hurwitz, Debra M., Head, James W., Byrne, Paul K., Xiao, Zhiyong, Solomon, Sean C., Zuber, Maria T., Smith, David E., Neumann, Gregory A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Basalt; Channel erosion; Channels; effusive volcanism; Erosion; Erosion mechanisms; Erosion rates; Formations; Lava; mechanical erosion; Mercury; Mercury (planet); Moon; sinuous rilles; Spacecraft; Substrates; thermal erosion; Valleys; Volcanic eruptions
• ISSN: 2169-9097; 2169-9100
• DOI: 10.1029/2012JE004103

Volcanic plains identified on Mercury are morphologically similar to lunar mare plains but lack constructional and erosional features that are prevalent on other terrestrial planetary bodies. We analyzed images acquired by the MESSENGER spacecraft to identify features on Mercury that may have formed by lava erosion. We used analytical models to estimate eruption flux, erosion rate, and eruption duration to characterize the formation of candidate erosional features, and we compared results with analyses of similar features observed on Earth, the Moon, and Mars. Results suggest that lava erupting at high effusion rates similar to those required to form the Teepee Butte Member of the Columbia River flood basalts (0.1–1.2 × 106 m3 s–1) would have been necessary to form wide valleys (>15 km wide) observed in Mercury's northern hemisphere, first by mechanical erosion to remove an upper regolith layer, then by thermal erosion once a lower rigid layer was encountered. Alternatively, results suggest that lava erupting at lower effusion rates similar to those predicted to have formed Rima Prinz on the Moon (4400 m3 s–1) would have been required to form, via thermal erosion, narrower channels (