by Boomer12k » Sun Nov 22, 2015 11:49 pm
Ummmm.....me thinks a good way to understand the depressions on Phobos is to read up on Rilles of The Moon....which are mostly sunken Lava tubes or areas that collapsed. But that does not necessarily explain the "straightness" and "one direction-ness" of these grooves....however...there are grooves on the right side in the white area that are perpendicular, and contrary to the others. I suppose Impacts and Tidal Forces could "sink" these areas, also tubes can collapse from cooling and shrinking. Many of these grooves are very faint, and light on Phobos.
They seem to be a line of craters, some fainter ones just did not form craters, but just sunk...and remind ME, at least, of a Volcanic "Curtain of Fire" that leaves a rift or fault afterwards.
Some "appear" to be impacts and then filled in with debris.
On Phobos, this may not be volcanic fire, or lava...but outgasing like a Geyser...and then along the rilles as well...??? Out-gasing Pockets, so to speak.
Just reminds me of that.
Enceladus is another moon with Rilles, grooves, rifts, etc....lots of tidal forces, but its rilles meander all over the place.
Jupiter's Europa is another moon with strong tidal forces, and the grooves meander around and criss-cross, etc...and are also very long. But do not seem to have much if any cratering in or on them.
I don't think Tidal Forces alone explain Phobos Striations....Earth's water comes mostly from Asteroids, not comets. Phobos probably has water, it out-gases, and areas collapse. Some areas are more violent and cause some craters. But that does not necessarily explain the straightness of the grooves....hhmmm, but certainly neither do "Tidal Forces" as other moons exhibit "meandering" lines...just my opinion. My conclusion? Combination of things, and happenstance.
It would certainly be cool to observe Mars with a Ring.
:---[===] *
Ummmm.....me thinks a good way to understand the depressions on Phobos is to read up on Rilles of The Moon....which are mostly sunken Lava tubes or areas that collapsed. But that does not necessarily explain the "straightness" and "one direction-ness" of these grooves....however...there are grooves on the right side in the white area that are perpendicular, and contrary to the others. I suppose Impacts and Tidal Forces could "sink" these areas, also tubes can collapse from cooling and shrinking. Many of these grooves are very faint, and light on Phobos.
They seem to be a line of craters, some fainter ones just did not form craters, but just sunk...and remind ME, at least, of a Volcanic "Curtain of Fire" that leaves a rift or fault afterwards.
Some "appear" to be impacts and then filled in with debris.
On Phobos, this may not be volcanic fire, or lava...but outgasing like a Geyser...and then along the rilles as well...??? Out-gasing Pockets, so to speak.
Just reminds me of that.
Enceladus is another moon with Rilles, grooves, rifts, etc....lots of tidal forces, but its rilles meander all over the place.
Jupiter's Europa is another moon with strong tidal forces, and the grooves meander around and criss-cross, etc...and are also very long. But do not seem to have much if any cratering in or on them.
I don't think Tidal Forces alone explain Phobos Striations....Earth's water comes mostly from Asteroids, not comets. Phobos probably has water, it out-gases, and areas collapse. Some areas are more violent and cause some craters. But that does not necessarily explain the straightness of the grooves....hhmmm, but certainly neither do "Tidal Forces" as other moons exhibit "meandering" lines...just my opinion. My conclusion? Combination of things, and happenstance.
It would certainly be cool to observe Mars with a Ring.
:---[===] *