Discovery Rupes

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Discovery Rupes
Feature type	Rupes
Coordinates	56°18′S 38°18′W / -56.3, -38.3
Eponym	HMS Discovery

Discovery Rupes is an escarpment on Mercury approximately 650 kilometers (404 mile) long and 2 kilometers (6,562 feet) high, located at latitude 56.3 S and longitude 38.3 W. It was formed by a thrust fault, thought to have occurred due to the shrinkage of the planet's core as it cooled over time. The scarp cuts through Rameau crater.

A prominent scarp, Discovery Rupes, photographed during first Mariner 10 fly-by

Representation of the thrust fault at Discovery Rupes

[edit] References

• Discovery Rupes (Thrust Fault) Discovery Region, Mercury. The Solar System in 3-D. Lunar and Planetary Institute. Retrieved on 2006-10-25.

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