Fault‐bound valley associated with the Rembrandt basin on Mercury

Abstract

AbstractThe Rembrandt basin is crosscut by the largest fault scarp on Mercury, Enterprise Rupes, and a second scarp complex, Belgica Rupes, extends to the basin's rim. Topographic data derived from MESSENGER orbital stereo images show that these tectonic landforms bound a broad, relatively flat‐floored valley with a mean width of ~400 km. Crosscutting relations suggest that the accumulation of structural relief likely postdates the formation and volcanic infilling of the Rembrandt basin. The valley floor, bound by fault scarps of opposite vergence, is significantly offset below the elevation of the back‐scarp terrains. Along with an offset section of Rembrandt's rim, the elevation differences are evidence that the valley floor was lowered as a result of the formation of bounding fault scarps. The localization of the widely spaced thrust faults of Enterprise and Belgica Rupis and the offset of the valley floor may be the result of long‐wavelength buckling of Mercury's lithosphere.