ISSN:
1573-0794
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Geosciences
,
Physics
Notes:
Abstract Tectonic lunar units were studied in an area of about 540 000 km2 in the southwestern part of the Moon's visible disk. The area is situated in the vicinity of Mare Humorum, Oceanus Procellarum, and Mare Orientale. Zones indicated by lineament sets show three preferred orientations (about N55°W, N10°W, N35°E). Probably these zones coincide with deep faults that have been active over a long period of lunar development. The distribution of Eratosthenian and partly also Imbrian lavas coincides with the zones along which re-activations have taken place. This is best seen in the areas where strong zones intersect each other. Local catastrophic forces must also be taken into account. The trends, distribution, and age relations of tectonic zones can be explained by a combination of maximum principal stress in direction about N10°W coupled possibly with old tidal forces and local (?) volcanic expansion of lunar mantle during the last stages of flooding of Oceanus Procellarum.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00562201
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