Assessing the brittle crust thickness from strike-slip fault segments on Earth, Mars and Icy moons

Segment lengths along major strike-slip faults exhibit a size dependency related to the brittle crust thickness. These segments result in formation of localized “P-shear” deformation crossing and connecting initial Riedels structures (i.e. en-echelon fault structures) which formed during genesis stage zone. Mechanical models show that at all scales, geometrical characteristics on thickness layer. Combining results our mechanical discrete element model with several analogue experiments using sand, clay gypsum, we have formulated relationship between orientation spacing From this relationship, derive for pure mode, maximum is close three times For transtensional as extensive component becomes predominant, distance surface much smaller than Applying well-characterized Earth, predicted consistent seismogenic depth. Supposing ubiquity phenomenon, extented characterize observed Mars, Memnonia region located West Tharsis. Assuming outer ice shells Ganymede, Enceladus Europa, behavior, suggest values corresponding apparent thicknesses.