The thermal evolution of Mars as constrained by paleo-heat flows

Lithospheric strength can be used to estimate the heat flow at the time when a given region was deformed, allowing us to constrain the thermal evolution of a planetary body. In this sense, the high (>300 km) effective elastic thickness of the lithosphere deduced from the very limited deflection c...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Ruiz Pérez, Javier, McGovern, Patrick, Jiménez Díaz, Alberto, López, Valle, Williams, Jean-Pierre, Hahn, Brian C., Tejero López, Rosa
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2011
País:España
Institución:Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
Repositorio:Docta Complutense
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:docta.ucm.es:20.500.14352/42359
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/42359
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:523.43
Mars
Mars Interior
Thermal histories
Geodinámica
2507 Geofísica
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spelling The thermal evolution of Mars as constrained by paleo-heat flowsRuiz Pérez, JavierMcGovern, PatrickJiménez Díaz, AlbertoLópez, ValleWilliams, Jean-PierreHahn, Brian C.Tejero López, Rosa523.43MarsMars InteriorThermal historiesGeodinámica2507 GeofísicaLithospheric strength can be used to estimate the heat flow at the time when a given region was deformed, allowing us to constrain the thermal evolution of a planetary body. In this sense, the high (>300 km) effective elastic thickness of the lithosphere deduced from the very limited deflection caused by the north polar cap of Mars indicates a low surface heat flow for this region at the present time, a finding difficult to reconcile with thermal history models. This has started a debate on the current heat flow of Mars and the implications for the thermal evolution of the planet. Here we perform refined estimates of paleo-heat flow for 22 martian regions of different periods and geological context, erived from the effective elastic thickness of the lithosphere or from faulting depth beneath large thrust faults, by considering regional radioactive element abundances and realistic thermal conductivities for the crust and mantle lithosphere. For the calculations based on the effective elastic thickness of the lithosphere we also consider the respective contributions of crust and mantle lithosphere to the total lithospheric strength. The obtained surface heat flows are in general lower than the equivalent radioactive heat production of Mars at the corresponding times, suggesting a limited contribution from secular cooling to the heat flow during the majority of the history of Mars. This is contrary to the predictions from the majority of thermal history models, but is consistent with evidence suggesting a currently fluid core, limited secular contraction for Mars, and recent extensive volcanism. Moreover, the interior of Mars could even have been heating up during part of the thermal history of the planet.Elsevier Science B.V., AmsterdamUniversidad Complutense de Madrid20112011-01-0120112011-01-01journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501info:eu-repo/semantics/articleapplication/pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/42359reponame:Docta Complutenseinstname:Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)Inglésengopen accesshttp://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:docta.ucm.es:20.500.14352/423592026-06-02T12:44:21Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv The thermal evolution of Mars as constrained by paleo-heat flows
title The thermal evolution of Mars as constrained by paleo-heat flows
spellingShingle The thermal evolution of Mars as constrained by paleo-heat flows
Ruiz Pérez, Javier
523.43
Mars
Mars Interior
Thermal histories
Geodinámica
2507 Geofísica
title_short The thermal evolution of Mars as constrained by paleo-heat flows
title_full The thermal evolution of Mars as constrained by paleo-heat flows
title_fullStr The thermal evolution of Mars as constrained by paleo-heat flows
title_full_unstemmed The thermal evolution of Mars as constrained by paleo-heat flows
title_sort The thermal evolution of Mars as constrained by paleo-heat flows
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Ruiz Pérez, Javier
McGovern, Patrick
Jiménez Díaz, Alberto
López, Valle
Williams, Jean-Pierre
Hahn, Brian C.
Tejero López, Rosa
author Ruiz Pérez, Javier
author_facet Ruiz Pérez, Javier
McGovern, Patrick
Jiménez Díaz, Alberto
López, Valle
Williams, Jean-Pierre
Hahn, Brian C.
Tejero López, Rosa
author_role author
author2 McGovern, Patrick
Jiménez Díaz, Alberto
López, Valle
Williams, Jean-Pierre
Hahn, Brian C.
Tejero López, Rosa
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv Universidad Complutense de Madrid
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv 523.43
Mars
Mars Interior
Thermal histories
Geodinámica
2507 Geofísica
topic 523.43
Mars
Mars Interior
Thermal histories
Geodinámica
2507 Geofísica
description Lithospheric strength can be used to estimate the heat flow at the time when a given region was deformed, allowing us to constrain the thermal evolution of a planetary body. In this sense, the high (>300 km) effective elastic thickness of the lithosphere deduced from the very limited deflection caused by the north polar cap of Mars indicates a low surface heat flow for this region at the present time, a finding difficult to reconcile with thermal history models. This has started a debate on the current heat flow of Mars and the implications for the thermal evolution of the planet. Here we perform refined estimates of paleo-heat flow for 22 martian regions of different periods and geological context, erived from the effective elastic thickness of the lithosphere or from faulting depth beneath large thrust faults, by considering regional radioactive element abundances and realistic thermal conductivities for the crust and mantle lithosphere. For the calculations based on the effective elastic thickness of the lithosphere we also consider the respective contributions of crust and mantle lithosphere to the total lithospheric strength. The obtained surface heat flows are in general lower than the equivalent radioactive heat production of Mars at the corresponding times, suggesting a limited contribution from secular cooling to the heat flow during the majority of the history of Mars. This is contrary to the predictions from the majority of thermal history models, but is consistent with evidence suggesting a currently fluid core, limited secular contraction for Mars, and recent extensive volcanism. Moreover, the interior of Mars could even have been heating up during part of the thermal history of the planet.
publishDate 2011
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2011
2011-01-01
2011
2011-01-01
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv journal article
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
dc.type.openaire.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
format article
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/42359
url https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/42359
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
eng
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
language eng
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv open access
http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
dc.rights.openaire.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv open access
http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:Docta Complutense
instname:Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
instname_str Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
reponame_str Docta Complutense
collection Docta Complutense
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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score 15.300724

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