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Lobate Scarp

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Planetary Landforms

  • 215 Accesses

Definition

Linear or arcuate landform in plan view, topographically convex, and asymmetric in cross section, with a relatively steep-sloping scarp face and a gently sloping back limb. Expression of a near-surface or surface-breaking thrust fault.

Synonyms

Arcuate scarp; Thrust-fault scarp (interpretation)

Description

Asymmetric cross-sectional topographic profiles and maximum slopes on scarp faces of ∼5–29° characterize lobate scarps on Mars, the Moon, and Mercury (Watters et al. 1998; Banks et al. 2012). On each planetary body, lobate scarps often deform preexisting crater floors and in several cases they appear segmented or occur in en echelon arrays (e.g., Strom et al. 1975; Dzurisin 1978; Watters and Nimmo 2010; Watters and Johnson 2010; Golombek and Phillips 2010).

On Mercury, some prominent lobate scarps may appear bow-shaped in plan view (e.g., Beagle (Fig. 1), Enterprise, Paramour Rupēs) similar to frontal thrusts bounded by oblique or lateral ramps on the Earth (Rothery and...

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Geoscienze and CISAS, Università degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy

    Matteo Massironi

  2. Lunar and Planetary Institute, Universities Space Research Association, 3600 Bay Area Boulevard, Houston, 77058, TX, USA

    Paul K. Byrne

  3. Institut für Planetologie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Wilhelm-Klemm-Str. 10, Münster, 48149, Germany

    Carolyn H. van der Bogert

Authors
  1. Matteo Massironi
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  2. Paul K. Byrne
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  3. Carolyn H. van der Bogert
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Correspondence to Matteo Massironi .

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Massironi, M., Byrne, P.K., van der Bogert, C.H. (2014). Lobate Scarp. In: Encyclopedia of Planetary Landforms. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9213-9_491-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9213-9_491-1

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