3D Spherical Convection Modeling of Venusian Resurfacing Mechanisms

Abstract:

The surface of Venus is thought to have undergone a global resurfacing event approximately 750 Ma. While several variations and modifications within the proposed resurfacing models exist, two end-member mechanisms can be broadly identified: (1) catastrophic overturns of the lithosphere, and (2) global volcanic resurfacing. We perform high-resolution, 3D spherical convection calculations using CitcomS to determine the conditions in Venus’ deep interior necessary for each mechanism to occur. To date, we have focused on modeling episodic overturns of the lithosphere in the stagnant lid regime following the method of van Heck and Tackley (2008), and implementing a temperature-dependent rheology and yield stress. We find in general that lithospheric yielding can occur with a Rayleigh number of the order of 10⁵ and a yield stress of the order of 20 ­- 400 MPa, consistent with the results of van Heck and Tackley. Additionally, we find that the behavior of lithospheric overturn depends strongly on the yield stress. To see this, we systematically increase the Rayleigh number and the yield stress via a priori scaling relationships. We find that models with Rayleigh number between 10⁵ and 10⁸ exhibit some variation of stagnant-lid convection; however, we observe that by varying the yield stress we are able to control the degree to which the overturns consist of the subduction of large, coherent segments of lithosphere as opposed to the formation of a large number of smaller, regional delaminations. We analyze these two modes of overturn by looking at the resultant geoid and topography fields to see if they yield distinguishable signatures. Furthermore, we analyze the spherical harmonic power spectrum of the geoid and topography to determine the extent to which their signatures are contributed from lower mantle anomalies and surface features. We also test the effects of mineral phase transformations and depth­-increasing viscosity on lithospheric overturn behavior by varying the mantle viscosity structure. Melt fraction estimates are calculated within the upper 100 km of the mantle during and after the overturn events to estimate the volume of melt available for resurfacing.