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Plate-tectonics
is rarely mentioned in terms of Mars, except to say that it has
some tectonic characteristics, like volcanoes, but has no evidence
of plate boundaries. The volcanoes have grown to enormous proportions
partly because of an absence of crustal movement, and its weak magnetic
field suggests that its interior convection currents aren't strong
enough to either generate a stronger magnetic field or drive crustal
movement. It is generally understood that any tectonic activity
would have ceased very early in the planet's life and its influence
on surface characteristics long ceased, as Mars, being a smaller
world, would have cooled earlier.
However, one
of the key elements of my hypothesis is the questioning of this
understanding that celestial bodies retain the diameters at which
they originally form. Here I should re-iterate some thoughts I expressed
in 'About This Site', in
relation to what I think the essential problem I am actually trying
to address is - compartmentalization of disciplines, and consequently,
working with plate-tectonics on the basis of accepting Accretion
as the main process in planet formation in Astro-physics, which
is the main reason it is believed that Mars, and all planets, were
always the size they are now.
I would like
to instead look at the positioning of water-ice and hydrated minerals
in terms of crustal movement and the concept of a contracting sphere,
and Mars as a contracted Earth, formerly having the same continent
pattern. |
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