Ahuna Mons is a 4 km tall mountain on Ceres interpreted as a geologically young cryovolcanic dome. Other possible cryovolcanic features are more ambiguous, implying that cryovolcanism is only a recent phenomenon or that other cryovolcanic structures have been modified beyond easy identification. We test the hypothesis that Cerean cryovolcanic domes viscously relax, precluding ancient domes from recognition. We use numerical models to predict flow velocities of Ahuna Mons to be 10-500 m/Myr, depending upon assumptions about ice content, rheology, grain size, and thermal parameters. Slower flow rates in this range are sufficiently fast to induce extensive relaxation of cryovolcanic structures over 10(8)-10(9) years, but gradual enough for Ahuna Mons to remain identifiable today. Positive topographic features, including a tholus underlying Ahuna Mons, may represent relaxed cryovolcanic structures. A composition for Ahuna Mons of >40% ice explains the observed distribution of cryovolcanic structures because viscous relaxation renders old cryovolcanoes unrecognizable.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:arizona.edu/oai:arizona.openrepository.com:10150/623032 |
| Date | 16 February 2017 |
| Creators | Sori, Michael M., Byrne, Shane, Bland, Michael T., Bramson, Ali M., Ermakov, Anton I., Hamilton, Christopher W., Otto, Katharina A., Ruesch, Ottaviano, Russell, Christopher T. |
| Contributors | Univ Arizona, Lunar & Planetary Lab, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory; University of Arizona; Tucson Arizona USA, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory; University of Arizona; Tucson Arizona USA, U. S. Geological Survey Astrogeology Science Center; Flagstaff Arizona USA, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory; University of Arizona; Tucson Arizona USA, Jet Propulsion Laboratory; California Institute of Technology; Pasadena California USA, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory; University of Arizona; Tucson Arizona USA, German Aerospace Center (DLR); Berlin Germany, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/Universities Space Research Association; Greenbelt Maryland USA, Earth Planetary and Space Sciences; University of California; Los Angeles California USA |
| Publisher | AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION |
| Source Sets | University of Arizona |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Article |
| Rights | ©2017. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved. |
| Relation | http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/2016GL072319 |
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