Mercury's Faults
Explanation:
The
surface of the planet
Mercury is not without fault. In this case,
however, "fault" refers to unusual surface features that are the topic of
much speculation. The above fault line is called Santa Maria Rupes, and
runs through many prominent craters. The meandering feature is thought to
be the result of huge forces of compression on
Mercury's surface. Such rupes probably originate from
large impacts
and a general shrinking of
Mercury's crust,
which in turn causes parts of the crust to push above other parts.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
